Survivors
by Lord of Misrule
Summary: An accident throws a mixed group of Human, Gamilan and Jirel forces into the middle of the Reaper war. These former enemies must work together both to find their way home and to survive in the face of a galaxy fighting and losing to the Reapers. Can Shepard bring these new potential allies into battle and help turn the tide of the war, or will the Reapers harvest them too?
1. Prologue

**Survivors**

An alien sun rose over an alien world, a small point of distant light that did little to offer warmth of illumination to the deserted cities. It cast stark shadows about the immaculate structures and the silent legions of automatons that tirelessly tended them, each fulfilling its instruction in service of masters who had vanished from knowledge countless lifetimes ago.

Beyond the cities stood forests, mountains, lakes and oceans all hosting life in a diversity unmatched across the known galaxy. Plants from a thousand worlds, wildlife that should never have interacted living in harmony, flocks of birds and shoals of fish all carefully managed by the central computer system that maintained this planet and the army of drones that were its hands.

It was paradise, one created and nurtured and managed. An entire biosphere directed at the insistence of a civilisation long since faded away for a purpose none could even guess. This world was an enigma to those few that knew of it and a myth to those who knew only rumours and stories.

Nobody knew how this place had been built, how the ancients had been able to create technology and wonders that even after countless thousands of years later they remained unmatched. What was unbelievable to the current worlds and civilisations of the galaxy had been routine for the Ancient Akerians, the breathtaking merely mundane. From the great network of hyperspace gates to the casual terraforming of planets to manipulating the very foundations of life itself.

The Akerians had left their mark across the fabric of the galaxy and within the genetic code of every sentient race yet none understood more than the bare basics of what they had wrought and achieved so long ago. While they had laid the foundations for all civilisation and most technology their touch was so distant as to be virtually unfelt. They had become legend, myth, their works the field of scholars and scientists, storytellers and dreamers.

Of all races only one had found any real understanding of the ancient Akerians, that race had been the Jirel, an ashen pale humanoid species with distinctive pointed elfen ears. Telepathic as the Akerians had been the Jirel had the ability to use the traces of left behind Akerian technology more easily and thoroughly than other races, an advantage which gave them an edge for most of their time as a space faring civilisation. This gift had become a curse, the Jirel had been virtually exterminated by an aggressive and paranoid Stellar Empire that feared their telepathic ability and advanced technology With their fall so most of the knowledge gathered on the Akerian wonders was also lost.

Most, but not all.

The Jirel were considered extinct by most of the galaxy, their homeworld burned down and in the process of being terraformed anew by its conquerors, but that was not the whole truth. Some communities had survived, distant groups of refugees, travellers, pilgrims. Some had been found on Shambleau, the ancient Celestial Ark of the Alkerians where they had fled. Others lived in shadows on far flung worlds using their skills to remain hidden like frightened animals.

The largest group though had found a special refuge on one of the greatest wonders of the Akerian civilisation, an artificial planet not dissimilar to the Celestial Ark but considerably smaller. The reason for its creation was as much a mystery as the means of its creation but it had been a sanctuary when nowhere else was available, secret, hidden and best of all mobile.

They had named it Lyonesse, the hidden world of legend. Whether it was the same place as the legends spoke of was another question but to them it didn't matter, the entire planetoid had the ability to perform a warp jump which was enough to keep the small knot of survivors alive and free from anyone trying to finish the job of exterminating them.

This world and all the sixteen thousand or so survivors upon it were the responsibility of Regent Ida, once a High Priestess overseeing a school on Jirel and now struggling to keep this community alive and safe. She was tall and stately with the ice white skin and dull silver hair of her people coupled with the confidence and presence of her rank. It had been a hard role to settle into and while a teacher she had never been a true leader with this level of responsibility. It was only because there had been no other suitable candidates that she had reluctantly accepted the post. Several years later it had become nature though still at times she had to stop and remind herself that she was effectively the ruler of her entire race.

Most people lived on the surface in the well preserved homes and buildings built by the Akerians eons ago, a tiny fraction of a huge city long abandoned. They had found hydroponics and other means of artificial food production which made them self supporting and even comfortable if one could forget the horrors of the past. Children had been born, families grew, people had moved on as best they could. It was on the surface of it a good life and it was Ida's responsibility to ensure it continued to be so.

Lyonesse had no weapons, at least none they had discovered, but beside its ability to travel vast distances it did have one or two tricks up its sleeve.

Ida proceeded underground, entering one of the pristine yet empty buildings not far from the main cluster of settlements. It had been some manner of administration building and like the rest of the planet still had ample power but nobody had discovered yet how to tap into whatever information lay within its records. They had however discovered a lift which traveled deep into the hollow core of the world, a restricted location Ida was currently heading toward.

After a few moments of travel in the lift she stepped into a wide chamber that opened out into the hollow core of the artificial planet itself. The view was incredible, from here she could see fully across the interior of the planet, at the heart a titanic beam of crackling blue energy that arced from pole to pole connecting them and feeding whatever archaic systems the world possessed, most still unknown to the small colony. The interior of the hollow sphere was lined with countless other chambers that the Jirel refugees couldn't even begin to explore hiding secrets that would take generations if not centuries to locate let alone unlock.

It was spectacle beyond understanding and even after seeing it every day for years it still made Ida feel tiny and powerless. They lived on this planet but didn't own it, often Ida felt like she was meekly trespassing in a grand old museum, or perhaps meddling with a bomb that could kill them all.

This particular chamber had been documented and explored thanks to what it contained, row after row of horizontal transparent pods lined with the delicate filigree common to Akerian architecture. Each was the size of a bed or large chair and was connected to some distant central location they had not found yet by way of cables and transmitters. While just as advanced and mysterious as other ancient technology the Jirel had encountered rooms like this before and knew at least the basics of what it was for. Remote Viewing.

This was the second great advantage of the colony, the ability to use this room to see across great distances, to view the activities of potential threats and enemies before they ever came close, and if necessary to take action. Similar pods had been found in other abandoned structures such as the gate hub at Balun and the Celestial Ark where it had been found that they could massively amplify the natural telepathic abilities of a suitably skilled Jirel. The exact effects varied but it turned out the pods here within Lyonesse were designed to allow a user to see through the eyes of any other person with almost unlimited range. Ida used it to see what was happening on the homeworlds of the other major galactic players, the Gamilans of course but more recently she had taken an interest in Earth, home of the Human Race.

"Morning Regent, did you get plenty of sleep?"

She was greeted by her cheerful aide, Faran Galad, who was checking details for one of the viewing pods. He still had an echo of youth to him though it had been a decade now since the loss of their world, his smile and positive energy one of the things that had pushed her to keep fighting. This was their standard morning routine, Ida would head down here and spend some time doing a sweep of the major worlds to look for potential problems with Galad keeping a watch on the system and ensuring nothing dangerous happened. Ida was familiar enough with the system to use it at a basic level but there was a lot of functionality she did not yet understand.

"Enough, thank you." She smiled back. "I might have overdone it with the wine, Nila needs to watch the alcohol content, that stuff is lethal."

"It was the birth of his first child, I think he served the good stuff."

"Good stuff?" She pulled a face. "Gods help whoever drinks the bad stuff."

She moved up to the largely egg shaped pod and removed her gown, the device requiring it's user to be unclothed for efficient usage. It was of course embarrassing at first but Galad was a professional man and both of them had rapidly moved past the initial discomfort. By now it was just part of the process. She stepped up and climbed in, the clear pod filled with a slightly pink coloured liquid which served to transfer impulses from her body to the technology itself and back again. She had no idea how it really worked but through trial and error had at least found a way to control it.

She settled in to the lukewarm transmission liquid and relaxed allowing herself to be subsumed calming her mind and preparing to connect to the distant core deep within the planet.

"System ready." Galad spoke. "Ready to go for a stroll?"

"Ready."

*

The initial transition was always awkward and terribly disorientating. She had become used to it over the years and with training but it still required intense mental fortitude and beside herself only three others could effectively use the system without losing control. Even then only Ida herself could command the system with any reasonable level of precision.

She theorised that once the Akerians had used this technology to see into the minds of any being in the galaxy, an incredible system that would make conventional espionage entirely redundant. Ida however did not have that level of control, at least not yet, all she could do was see and hear what an individual on a distant world could see and hear. She couldn't read minds and she didn't have the precision to select a given individual such as an Emperor or President but she could after a lot of practice get close enough to learn some useful information. There was still a lot of randomness which was why she had to use the device every day to keep up and hope to learn something important. Most of the time it was only enough to get a broad feel of current events in a given culture, usually it was enough.

There was also the danger of becoming too attached, of losing oneself in the thoughts of another. That was why Galad was there to kill the link if things went wrong. It was less an issue now after frequent use but in the early days it had been a real danger. Never the less for the good of her people Ida persevered.

Today was different, this time the transition was particularly jarring, painful even. She knew her heart rate was spiking which would alert Galad so she forced herself to relax, to keep the connection open. It took a few moments for the sound and vision to align, for her mind to tap into the alternate set of sensory inputs and process them, sound first and then gradually an image resolving from a blur of colours.

The sun was shining here, bright and radiant. She could feel the warmth on her face despite being an unfathomable distance away locked in a gel filled pod. The system was incredible beyond understanding, she could get lost here, live a life here if her mind wandered away. The technology was so useful but also dangerous, tempting. To stand here and see a beautiful world, a life so similar to that she had lost when Jirel fell... it was torturous. The physical strain of the projection was formidable, but to her the psychological strain was far greater. This window on normalcy.

She stood in a city, tall towers rose high across the skyline, white metal and glimmering glass like a grove of artificial trees. People thronged the streets, electric cars hummed by, ranks of airborne vehicles passed overhead at perfectly spaced distances on perfectly spaced flight paths. She could feel concrete under her feet, the minor variations in the setting of the paving slabs, the rustle of a breeze, the murmur of voices.

Trees lined the streets adding some greenery to the bright hand made world and among them walked the people of this world. Ida had never met them in person but she knew who they were as familiar to her as any other. Humans.

The Jirel had few enough friends in the galaxy, most merely wanted to use their talents if not outright destroy them. Ida had become aware that Humanity had met some of her people elsewhere in the galaxy and had been open with them, friendly, they even fought on their behalf. It had captured her curiosity, why had they done so, what did they gain? Was it truly an altruistic act?

Her research had yielded varied results, Earth seemed a far more pleasant culture than any other she had found, a democracy, an open society tolerant of others, but at the same time they were a people wounded by war and were militarising fast with weapons not seen in the galaxy for centurie, weapons that could erase entire planets in a single volley. They had also shown a willingness to use them in battle.

Of all the worlds Earth was the one she would likely seek to contact, but the increased militarisation was concerning. With war on their doorstep they had no real choice but to arm, but she feared what the long term effects might be. Perhaps in a few years when things settled down she would try to open a dialogue.

Before then though she enjoyed visiting Earth from afar, though this particular city was unknown to her.

She observed the people and the world, strolled back and forth, smelled the scent of the trees and food cooked in streetside cafes. It was idyllic.

An idyll that ended abruptly with a scream of engines and the bang of a low level sonic boom. Ida looked up sharply into the blue sky and scattered clouds, forgetting she was not really there. Around her people did the same, their expressions instantly turning to concern, worry, dread. A ship rushed across the sky trailing black smoke, some sort of freighter perhaps based on its blocky shape. It fell out of control streaking across the sky until it hit one of the distant towers in a flash followed a moment later by a crunching thunder.

The reactions ran like a wave, exclamations, gasps, a few shouts and yelps. The street froze as everyone stopped to watch burning debris running down the side of the tower in streams of smoke and clouds of dust. Ida was as petrified as the rest, the timing of her visit almost macabre as the disaster unfolded before her eyes.

Something else was happening too, something she felt more than saw. A rumble, a sensation in her core. It was hard to articulate into words, an unnatural feeling of weight and lightness that alternated as she stood there. Around her people still looked at the crash, but some others were looking in the opposite direction, up behind her as the sun dimmed into shadow. Something massive was in the sky.

Ida looked.

The shape was not a ship, yet it could be nothing else. Metallic, black, huge, but it didn't have the form of a vessel. No Naval architect had made this, it seemed instead alive, grasping. Half insect, half crustacean from some deep ocean, it reached down from the sky with several grasping appendages like thick arms or tentacles plated in metal. More and more people turned to look at it, some stood transfixed, others began to run.

Sirens were wailing in the distance now, emergency vehicles rushing to the crash scene which had suddenly become almost insignificant beneath this vast object descending toward them. It touched down nearby with a shudder that jolted cars as they sat on their suspension and toppled shop displays. It towered over the buildings around it, grossly out of place and seethingly ominous. Vehicles flew around it, both government owned and civilians trying to get a better look at this vast oddity out of curiosity or duty. Ida knew it didn't feel right, not just its alien nature but its intent, every single aspect of its presence was wrong, oppressive, destructive. Her instincts told her this city was just moments from disaster.

More people left and began to scatter, their own fears mounting and overpowering curiosity. Above the visitor high in the blue sky she could make out points of light followed by streaks of white vapour, the signs of objects falling from orbit. Some were ordered, the signature of a controlled descent, others were not. The last time she had seen such a sight was watching the wreckage of the Jirel Navy falling across her homeworld.

There was a change in the monster, a drawing up of power, a shift in its stance as it appeared to rise up on its limbs. It electrified the air bringing the smell of ozone and faint burning, her mouth dried and eyes widened as the vessel shifted its mass on the thick legs, a crackle of red energy began forming near what she could guess was it's head. Without warning it bellowed, a sound like a long mighty horn that rattled glass and set off car alarms, a cacophony of chirps and beeps. The remaining majority of people now began to back away shielding their ears and hunching over away from the source of the sound, to seek escape or shelter, to understand that this wasn't some strange First Contact. A moment later the red static power building around the creature spiked and answered any lingering doubts in a blindingly bright burst of red energy, a lance that ignited the air around it and vaporised several sky cars in its path before biting into a distant skyscraper.

Everything instantly broke down into screaming panic. The masses fled, a stampede of people swarming away from the black monster which now began to advance, it's tower like legs crushing anything beneath them as the vessel fired again, sounding its horn like voice once more. The skies cleared fast as any remaining skycars fled at top speed, a few more falling to the red beam that reached out for them.

On the ground people tried to get into their vehicles, or shelter in buildings, most though just ran. Cries of panic filled the air now, more sirens, more wails, more thuds of stamping feet. Now though new sounds and feelings joined, the sounds of war and destruction. Buildings fell in groans of metal, crashes of rubble and shattering glass. Clouds of dust rose in the sky to be joined by thick black smoke from fires. The sky dimmed as the sun became obscured and Ida's throat was filled with the noxious fumes of burning plastics and choking concrete dust.

Ida followed the crowds, more waves of panic rushing across them as a second, third and fourth ship emerged from the sky spearing the city with more gunfire, sweeping across structures with contemptuous ease sending thousands to their death in seconds. The direction of the exodus shifted to avoid these new vessels, roads filled quickly with the seething mass of people converging on any effective escape route.

A new series of sounds joined the chaos, the whoosh of low flying high powered engines signalling a squadron of fighter craft joining the fray. Ida watched them curve through the air in flashes of white and blue before unleashing salvoes of gunfire and missiles at the closest invader with no obvious effect. Explosions rolled through the air and thumped the ground, the air vibrating constantly with the echoes of destruction, shockwaves rippling across the city as it was methodically sectioned and carved.

She followed the crowd, merged with them as a single unthinking mass flowing away from danger. Beneath her feet were discarded items, shattered glass and detritus, upturned rubbish bins emptied into the street, in some places even bodies. Some routes were blocked by collapsed buildings or the stalking behemoths leaving only one direction to escape, almost as if they were being herded.

She became uneasy, seeing the pattern. They were being directed, funnelled, to what purpose she didn't know but this destruction wasn't random. What waited on this edge of the city was unlikely to be salvation but something far less hopeful.

She made a choice and pushed aside from the sea of people, forcing her way clear and through the doorway of an abandoned shop now wrecked stumbling over it's products tossed across the floor with not even looters stopping to empty it. Ida ran to the back and through the employee partition to the rear stairs climbing higher and higher, breathing heavily while making her way up several floors before reaching the roof.

She emerged to a different world, the sky hanging red and oppressive as smoke and dust filtered out the light of the sun and replaced it with the glow of blazes raging through the city. The sky was still, the fighter squadron gone and no further attacks were being prepared, only the shadows of the great monsters moved now joined by occasional flashes of red as they erased one target or another.

On the horizon were brighter flashes, points of light that faded into tall mushroom clouds boiling black and red as nuclear weapons detonated. She could not tell if it they were used by attacker or desperate defender.

It had become in a few short minutes a vision of hell, red skies, choking fumes, clouds of dust and debris mixed with rumbling thunder and the cries of people. Above them all stood the creators of this horror, shrouded in smoke and flame, faceless and inscrutable, serving only to destroy and crush.

It was too much like the past, too much like the burning cities of Jirel on the day the defences had failed and the bombs had rained down. She had watched the extermination of one world and now stood aghast seeing that same process again, but this time it was Earth and these enemies like nothing before encountered.

She had to do something, something to help, even if it was just to give the survivors a place to live.

Ida forced herself out of the connection, drifting and fading, her final image that of the great warmachine striding toward the fleeing people, covering hundreds of metres in each step. It looked down on them like a hunter surveying a helpless prey and as it peered she could see glowing orange eyes where it's face would be. This was not a ship, metal as it was it was alive, aware, satisfied.

She left the world chilled to the soul and awoke with a jolt back within her own domain under the spindly rafters and supports of the ancient observation complex. Her head was throbbing and stomach unsettled which reminded her of the first time she had used this great machine and ended up in hospital for a month. She had grown stronger and smarter since but this had been a particularly grim session.

"Are you alright?" Galad called over as she blinked her eyes back into focus.

"I'll be fine, I need you to check communication channels quickly, human ones."

"They are already being monitored, no changes."

"No changes?" She frowned in disbelief.

"Just standard news and entertainment broadcasts." He expanded. "We're fairly close the their homeworld, we can see their long range channels for outer colony links."

"Their military?" Ida asked.

"We can't decode anything but the traffic volume is normal, their fleets are still preparing for battle with Gatlantis."

"I don't understand, they were being invaded." She grimaced. "A massive assault, we should be seeing much more comms traffic, distress signals, ship movements."

"Nothing, it's all quiet." Galad answered. "Did you see something else? Maybe a warning?"

She pulled herself up but before she could swing out off the bed the floor shifted. At first she imagined it was her own dizziness but the sudden call of a voice told her it wasn't.

"Galad? Galad! What happened?"

"Something just activated, I don't know!" His voice shouted as he braced against his control panel. "It's not the machine, it's near the core."

"What does it look like?"

"Massive power surge, I've never seen this before, it's drawing energy from reactors we didn't even know we had!"

Ida couldn't be too surprised, with their small group of survivors they hadn't been able to explore even a tiny percentage of this ruined old planet. Clearly it had deeper mysteries, hopefully nothing related to why this world had been abandoned in the first place.

"Energy is reaching a peak, space is distorting!" Galad warned. "It looks like..."

Whatever answer he thought he knew he didn't get a chance to explain it before everything turned white. 


	2. 1

**-1-

Earth.

Another time.

**

 **Another place.**

It was a beautiful day, unquestionably magnificent, the sun glowed brightly past a few scattered clouds in the powder blue sky, white streaks of paint on the azure canvas. In a mirror of the heavens clear sea rolled gently up and then down the beach, white edged and fizzing slightly as the bubbles and foam were pushed forth and dragged back by the water. A gentle breeze added texture, the usual sort of sea breeze lightly chilled by the expanse of ocean.

One or two people enjoyed the experience, small dots on the long stretch of white sand relaxing. A family played with their young children, faint sounds of music barely audible in the distance along with joyful shouts and cheers. It was idyllic.

"You'd hardly know would you?"

"No sir."

"It's a different world. A new world."

"Same old Earth sir."

"No Commander, I don't see it that way. Same ground under our feet maybe, but it's a new sky, new sea, new world."

Devlin clinched his eyes shut for a moment after he looked around at the bright scene.

"A replacement."

"All due respect sir, better than nothing."

That drew a slight smile.

"Fair point Commander. Fair point."

A steady rumble joined the more gentle and peaceful noises, the growl of a high flying aircraft adding its own white line of vapour in the blue sky, long bent wings keeping it hanging in the sky. It centred Devlin, drew his mind away from his observation of the world and put it back on track. He turned away from the lapping waves and warm beaches and instead faced the pale concrete of a naval dockyards situated a little further down the coast. Broad skeletal cranes rotated and rolled back and forth as electric trains rolled in laden with containers of food and sundries. Within those slab roofed catacombs sat a battlesquadron of warships, brand new and gleaming, the bright sword of the Earth Federation. It was Captain Matthew Devlin's task to wield that sword.

"We better get a move on, wouldn't want to keep our allies waiting."

*

The bustle of the dock stood in direct contrast to the quiet peaceful beach just a few hundred yards away. Here people and machinery criss crossed like a hive of insects, humming forklifts rolling by carrying coloured shipping containers and crates before depositing them in warehouses or transport pallets. Several rail lines ran through the complex and they were all crammed with wagons dropping off the wide array of supplies necessary for deep space travel. Foremen and workers called back and forth, an angry redhaired woman storming past Devlin yelling at a truck driver in a stream of Gaelic waving a bushel of papers over her head.

Organised chaos.

"Is this how you do things in Europe then?" Commander Kenji Nagano raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Shout at things until it works out?"

"As long as it works out in the end I see no problem." Devlin smiled widely. The dock itself was a military facility located on the Southern Coast of England on the edge of the Atlantic not far from where the city of Portsmouth had once stood. Despite housing naval warships most of the facility was run and administered by civilians under contract, they handled the general logistics and day to day matters while the military took care of the more sensitive and dangerous tasks. Moving around supplies and fuel wasn't especially risky, loading subspace torpedoes and nuclear warheads on the other hand...

"I don't remember Kure being this loud even before the war." Nagano slowed his pace to let a bright yellow cargo truck race by at what was probably double the speed limit. "Think we'll be ready to depart on time?"

"We'll be ready, wasn't helpful for Brand to push up the departure time but he didn't have much choice with Gamilas showing up early."

Nagano nodded briefly in acknowledgement. Both he and Devlin were officers in the United Nations Cosmo Forces, the combined militaries of the various nations and alliances of mankind. In the past each nation had built, operated and crewed its own military forces and put them under a supreme UN command but these days things were becoming more integrated allowing a Japanese born officer like Nagano to serve as First Officer to Devlin, a Belfast born European.

Several years ago multinational crews would have been rare and usually part of exploration or science missions but after the apocalyptic war with Gamilas humanity had been forced to unite like never before in order to survive and grow in an increasingly hostile universe.

The relics of that war were ever present not just in the world around them but as an indelible part of their being. No one on Earth had been untouched by the war with the Great Gamilas Empire, a vast interstellar Empire that had stumbled upon the Sol system and after a disastrous First Contact had decided upon the conquest of Earth, with or without humanity. Earth refused to surrender and become a vassal state of Gamilas and resisted, but mankind was utterly outclassed. Without Faster than Light drives or advanced technology Earth's warfleets were gradually wiped out by superior Gamilas warships in a series of brutally one sided battles. Despite this Earth fought on and even halted the enemy advance in a cataclysmic battle at Mars forcing the Gamilas to change tactics.

Instead the enemy settled on the worlds of the outer solar system and began to systematically bombard Earth with asteroids and comets, many of them infused with intensely radioactive particles or invasive biological species. The Earth fleets fought on, trying to stop these attacks, to retake the enemy held worlds and to intercept the asteroids but it was a losing struggle. With fewer and fewer ships the mass driven asteroids began to get through, each impact hitting with as much force as a nuclear saturation strike.

Earth became uninhabitable, the population moved to underground cities as seas boiled away and the barren rocks of the surface turned into a radioactive wasteland slowly finding itself terraformed to be more to Gamilas tastes. Mankind stood on the edge of extinction.

But then things changed, help arrived from a distant star, new technology, new information, a fresh hope. Earth poured the last of its resources into a final Battleship, a vessel that could make the journey out of the galaxy to take hold of this hope, a device of unimaginable technology able to cleanse the Earth and restore it to a blue and green world. Nobody really knew how the device worked, terraforming had been slowly working on Mars before the war but this was something almost magical. In the end it didn't matter how it worked only that it did, the Yamato mission had been a success and humanity was saved with the Earth restored. They had even managed to enact regime change within the Gamilas Empire and end the war with a peace treaty. It was a miracle.

Unfortunately miracles tend to be one off things and to maintain this second chance at survival humanity had to step up and make sure it would never again be driven to the brink of extinction. The fleet rebuilt itself with upgraded ships based on pre-war designs but that was just a place holder for the real reconstruction, an entirely new breed of warmachines embracing the high technology of the Yamato mission and ensuring Earth had the best combat ships in the galaxy.

It turned out to be a wise decision, peace with Gamilas had barely been made when Earth had encountered a new even more aggressive power named Gatlantis, an extra-galactic invasion the Gamilas Empire had been battling for years. By pure bad timing it seemed the main Gatlantis force was now arriving into the galaxy and was intending to conquer or destroy all inhabited planets, Earth as well as Gamilas. Against such a powerful common threat the two former enemies had banded together out of necessity and today joint Earth and Gamilas fleets were becoming increasingly common, with several joint battles occurring with apparent success.

Much had changed in just two years and now the Gamilas Fleet which only a few years earlier had been slaughtering humans by the billions was now fighting side by side with the UN Fleet. According to politicians and the media it was a highly successful partnership but as one might expect the scars of the war were still fresh for the majority on Earth and while Gamilas may now be an ally they were not friends.

In the end though it didn't matter, once again Earth was looking at a war for survival against a terrible enemy and if that meant shaking hands with the devil to gain the strength to win then so be it.

Those thoughts brought Devlin back to his task for today, a large scale joint exercise with a fleet of Gamilas warships. It would be a training exercise for both sides to get a feel for each other's abilities and work out some complimentary tactics for closer future cooperation. While both sides had fought together before each still maintained a distinct fleet with little mixing, this exercise would try to intermingle forces to be more mutually supportive.

It was of course also a good way to get a closer look at how the Gamilas Navy operated and how effective their newer ships were just in case relations turned sour in the future.

The United Nations would be deploying the Seventh fleet for it's part, a brand new unit of brand new ships and brand new crews. This would be it's first deployment together and their first taste of the new breed of human warships. It was very much a shakedown and training mission for the Seventh which was becoming increasingly vital, with the ever encroaching threat of Gatlantis Earth needed more and more ships on the front line, even novice units like this.

"Here we are, Dock Fourteen." Nagano pointed at a large hardened shelter set back in the facility. It was made from reinforced concrete and shaped to survive near hits from nuclear strikes with a low curved roof. Vehicles moved in and out of recessed side doors bringing the last few pallets of supplies before departure.

"Any absences?" Devlin asked as the two officers advanced, both standing out from the civilian workers with their long dark blue coats and white topped peaked caps.

"No sir, all crew present and accounted for." Nagano answered. "Even at this short notice."

"Hey, hey you!" A yell chased after them. "Is this your ship?"

Devlin glanced around to find himself eye to eye with the furious redhaired female from earlier. Her face was as red as her locks and her eyes threatened serious physical injury.

"It is, Captain Devlin, UNCF." He offered in his calmest brogue.

"You said we had three days to get your ships ready, three days, not three hours!" She waved the work orders in his face.

"Military necessity I'm afraid Miss...?"

"I've been running my feckin' arse raw getting this shite sorted out, so you tell your military necessities to open it's pockets because this is gonna cost you boyo!"

"You understand we're going up there to defend you and everyone else on this planet?" Nagano grunted with his patience obviously fraying.

"Well a feckin good job you did last time!" The Dock Manager snapped. "How much of the planet do you plan to let burn this war then?"

"I lost every..."

Devlin took a step forward putting a shoulder in front of the increasingly angry First Officer.

"We're sorry for the short notice and the extra work you've had to do. Put it in writing and submit it to European Naval Command and the Admiralty will make sure you get what you need."

"It had better!"

"It will."

"Well fine then, you'll be ready to feck off in time. Just do your damn jobs this time eh?"

With a snarl the bag of fury stormed off to deliver another verbal blasting to someone else a few dozen yards away, her colourful language carrying halfway over the dock.

"Bet you didn't have one of those at Kure." Devlin grinned.

"That isn't funny." Nagano snapped. "We risk our lives for people like that and that's the response?"

"You can't expect everyone to just be grateful, some people are still angry over the war." Devlin watched. "In her case angry at everyone, not just us."

"Why is she working here then? Why put someone that nasty in charge?"

"Because there aren't as many people left as there used to be. We have to use whoever can do the best job and deal with it." The Captain answered. "We're beggars these days, not choosers."

The two officers finally arrived at their destination stepping into the hardened hanger through a thick metal side door. Resting peacefully in the water was their command, the Andromeda Class Space Battleship Artemisia, nearly half a kilometre of armour plates, firepower and engines. She was the most potent weapon or war ever constructed, larger and more powerful even than the famous Yamato. The Andromeda class boasted arrays of Positronic cannons, missiles, torpedoes, projectile launchers, laser defences and energy shields unmatched among Earth vessels. The real Ace card however was the Dimensional Wave Implosion gun which had been developed for the Yamato and now used on most large Earth ships, a weapon that harnessed the energy of a collapsing black hole and focused it into a beam capable of erasing most anything that got in its way. Earth's battleships carried one of these weapons mounted spinally along the warship's centreline, the bigger Andromeda class carried two of them side by side.

The Yamato had demonstrated the power of this new technology on its epic voyage to the world of Iscandar nearly three years ago now and since then the innovations had been refined, modified and then altered for mass production. Now it was up to the new generation of warships to take up the mantle and truly show how strong Earth had become in such a short time.

"If I could marry this thing I would." Devlin exhaled wistfully.

"No back chat, no nagging about the cleaning or getting in late for work." Nagano nodded in agreement. "Very high maintenance though."

"And you wouldn't want to get on her bad side."

The Artemisia was still gleaming, her rich blue paint untarnished and the white markings still bright and untouched. The UN Fleet crest was displayed prominently in several locations illuminated by running lights alongside the vessel's name. Most of her crew was already on board with only her engineering staff on the dock loading the last few crates before departure.

"Morning Ben, everything in order?" Devlin greeted Ben Kalani the Artemisia's Chief Engineer.

"Just finishing up sir, give me five minutes to bolt it down and we'll be good to go."

"Outstanding work Ben, my regards to your team." Devlin nodded and took the gangway up the side of the ship several steps at a time. "Busy few days coming up."

"We won't let you down, and neither will Arti."

"Who?" Nagano asked as he followed the Captain.

"Sorry, the Artemisia sir, some of the crew just call her Arti."

Devlin stepped through the airlock and headed directly for the turbolift, it's gleaming steel and plastic doors swishing open with barely a sound.

"Still has that new ship smell." He observed as Nagano joined him. "Grease, paint and packaging."

"As long as nothing falls off I can put up with it."

"Bridge." Devlin ordered the lift. "This will be our first full deployment, she went through shakedown fine, engine tests, no leaks or loose bolts."

"What's the plan for this mission?"

"We were going to do some live fire exercises first and then join a Gamilas fleet for joint training, but with them showing up early we'll bump the live fire until after."

"Will we test the Wave guns?" Nagano tried and failed to hide his obvious anticipation.

"Fancy blowing up a moon or two?" Devlin chuckled. "It'll be the Admiral's discretion but I expect he will. We're at war with Gatlantis, this time next month we'll probably be deployed forward to relieve one of our older fleets."

"So we'll need to be fully checked out and combat ready."

"Exactly Commander, we don't have the luxury of taking our time these days."

He scoffed slightly.

"But when have we ever?"

The doors opened onto the bridge sitting high above the hull gazing out over the forward gun turrets and bow. Like the rest of the interior of the ship it was gleaming brushed metal and panel lights with a blue theme. Large flat screens embedded in walls and consoles flashed up information and statistics while schematics of the ship illuminating green to show all was well. In the centre sat the Captain's chair and its horseshoe of holographic and embedded displays, in front of it a similar cluster for the First Officer with Communications control to the right and Combat control to the left. And that was it.

Where most ships had a sizeable set of Officers on the bridge, several department heads and specialists, the Andromeda class had merely four personnel thanks to heavy automation. Where the Yamato had sailed with a thousand crew the much larger Andromeda class carried a mere two hundred.

"Good morning Lieutenants. Status report if you please."

"All in order Captain." Lieutenant Janet Makin reported from the Communications console. "All crew are at their stations, engineering reports all cargo stowed and locked, all doors sealed and permissions granted."

"We're combat ready Captain." Lieutenant Bruce Newman echoed from the opposite side of the bridge. "Arsenals are full, fighter squadrons embarked and secure, all weapons safe."

"Then it is about time we got moving." Devlin settled in his seat. "Mr Nagano, bring main reactor online, standby to depart."

With a few sharp blasts on a siren the thick metal door to the hanger unlocked, heavy bolts unlatching and sliding into the concrete walls before the door itself began sliding down beneath the gurgling waters of the dock.

"Cast off all moorings, secure airlocks, bring engines up to ten percent." Nagano ran through the routine.

"Internal life support and gravity active and optimal." Makin read out.

"Helm is answering and available, we have sufficient thrust to depart." Newman added.

"The Artemisia is clear to depart Captain." Nagano turned to the Commanding officer with all due formality. "On your word sir."

"Take us up and away Commander."

"Aye sir, engines ahead slow, steady as she goes."

With a surge of water the Artemisia began to move ahead on gravity drives pushing the ocean ahead of it. The massive spinal mounted wave cannons were anything but hydrodynamic meaning the ship and most others in the new generation had to brute force their way through the sea with very little grace or subtlety. She advanced steadily out into the sunlight between the long concrete jetties and beneath metal cranes, most of the workers pausing to see the great warship off.

"Clearing docks now sir."

"Aerospace control reports flight path is clear and we are free to begin our climb."

"Bring secondary engines up to full, hold main reactor at one hundred percent." Nagano followed the checklist. "Begin climb when we pass the harbour marker."

"Try not to hit the Isle of Wight on the way up." Devlin added.

The Artemisia cruised out from port in the bright sun, rich blue paint exquisite, the large bow wave breaking white over the hard angles of the ship, her four secondary thrusters began burning after a safe distance and pushing bubbling seawater behind in a tumultuous tide. Devlin focused one of the visual monitor displays on the beach, a far superior beach than this part of the world had ever had he suddenly recalled, and watched some of the families waving as they sailed out toward open water.

"Commander, give a few blasts on the foghorn."

"There's no traffic nearby sir."

"Do it anyway."

"Aye sir."

The Artemisia gave a few blasts as she pulled away to the delight of the children on the beach, the royal blue battleship then began to power up and accelerate filling the air with a deep rumble and growing screech.

"Antigravity systems at full, secondary engines at full, main engine on standby."

"Take us up on secondaries alone." Devlin ordered. "Engage main drive once we clear three thousand metres."

With a crack of thunder the Artemisia opened her throttles and raised her nose, a fountain of water erupting behind her as the engines pushed forwards parting the waves. Rivers of clear seawater fell back down from the hull as the warship emerged from the grasp of the ocean, masts and sensor booms the last parts of the ship to rise. Spray and tiny drops of water dispersed behind the climbing spacecraft, the vapour catching the sunlight like a prism forming a brief man made rainbow chasing the Artemisia skyward, a truly beautiful site for those watching below.

"All systems nominal, on course for orbit." Nagano flicked through the holographic data highlighting a rising spiral curve around a flickering globe.

"Captain, escort forces confirm launch from Narvik and Bremen." Makin relayed. "First Battleship group leaving Toulon now."

"We'll rendezvous in low orbit and form up over the Atlantic." Devlin affirmed. "Where is the rest of the Fleet?"

"The Arcadia Battlegroup should be already formed up and waiting, The Enterprise and escorts will be taking off from San Diego in twenty minutes."

"Acknowledged, altitude?"

"Approaching three kilometres."

"Initiate main engine start."

Deep in the heart of the ship Kalani watched as the reactor went from idle to engaged, raw energy pouring into the single massively powerful engine at the stern of the ship situated between the fusion powered secondary drives. Fed directly from the wave energy core the main engine howled into life, a ring of yellow fire jetting out creating a thick white plume behind it, the millions of tons of battleship rising like a feather with such power behind it.

"Accelerating past seven g. Ten g." Newman reported. "Inertial systems and gravity anchors steady."

"No great hurry, coordinate our arrival with our escorts."

As they rose higher past cloud cover and into clear sky they could see other columns of white vapour on the horizon matching their ascent. These were the rest of their unit launched from bases across Europe, an assortment of cruisers, destroyers and frigates designed to screen and guard the heart of the Battlegroup, the big guns of the battleships. While the Artemisia was the flagship and most powerful single unit she was ably backed by six D Type Battleships, the new Dreadnought class which were a serious force by themselves.

The Artemisia battlegroup alone could easily outgun any previous fleet in human history, indeed it had more firepower than every human ship ever sent into war before the Yamato combined, and yet today represented only a portion of mankind's defence.

"Approaching orbit." Newman reported with an air of finality. "Launch successful."

"Well we didn't fall out of the sky or explode, congratulations." Smiled their Captain. "Now we just have to try and not look like fools in front of the Gamilans."

Space felt clearer, simpler. It was an illusion of course, wherever people went they brought their misgivings and doubts with them, but looking through the thick bridge windows out into the contrast of black sky and bright Earth below it just distilled everything down to it's fundamental parts. It was a stark reminder of how fragile the balance of survival and destruction really was. They had beaten the scales once mainly by luck and fortune, it was now the task of Devlin and those like him to make sure it never happened again.

The Artemisia Battlegroup formed up silently, small puffs of gas and flame marking the use of RCS thrusters nudging the various warships into position. The sunlight and glittering Earth below lit up each ship like stage spotlights all wearing the same blue and white scheme as their flagship. Thousands of miles away approached their mirror image, the Arcadia Battlegroup made up of identical ships only these ones wore a pale blue scheme to differentiate them.

"Enterprise is coming up." Nagano spoke. "Orbital track looks good."

The Artemisia and Arcadia were ferocious warships but in this instance they were very much the supporting act, the star of the Seventh Fleet was the Super Carrier Enterprise, first of her kind and an experiment to see how old ideas could be combined with new technology.

Even from a distance the Enterprise was huge, much broader and with much more mass than the Andromeda type. She carried no Wave Gun and instead funnelled all her power into propulsion and shielding giving her an admirable turn of speed for such a huge ship. Her main striking power was of course her air wing, five hundred fighters of various types along with a healthy number of transports and utility craft alongside the fuel and munitions to support them.

The Enterprise and her escorting Battlegroup finished their climb and assumed a stable orbit, the Artemisia and Arcadia arriving to flank and escort the carrier as she cruised over the glittering Pacific Ocean. It was an inspiring sight and something clearly visible from the ground, a hundred and seventy of Earth's newest and best ships now ready to take their place as the sword and shield of mankind.

"Navigational data from command sir." Makin reported. "Break orbit and lay in course for Luna, then prepare for jump to Saturn once we are clear."

"Put it through the navigational computer and link to the fleet."

"Already done sir." Nagano reported. "All units responding."

As one the fleet peeled away from orbit in sequence, engines flaring as they turned aside from Earth and set off into the blackness toward the rendezvous.

"All systems still functioning, automatic navigation engaged."

"I suppose this means we can just sit here with our feet up until Saturn?" Devlin enquired.

"In theory yes sir, the automation can take it from here." Nagano nodded. "Even if we run into trouble the central computer could classify, prioritise and engage hostiles while we're fast asleep."

"Not much use for us here then is there sir?" Newman asked. "If everything is automated?"

"The AI isn't that good yet, it still needs direction." Devlin replied "Though with the new IQ series robots maybe they'll finally replace us with machines after all."

"Too much of a risk." Nagano shook his head. "You'll always need the human element, machines will never fully replace us."

"I suppose we'll find out."

There was a chime on Nagano's right hand console, a small flash on the holographic display he brought his attention to with a frown.

"What do you have Commander?" The Captain leaned in.

"Unknown warp signature." He isolated the sensor report and brought up details. "It's out two hundred million kilometres, extremely large mass, bigger than any known ship."

That brought a tingle of alarm, there was nothing scheduled to arrive and something that big this close to Earth would set off every early warning station in the system.

"Get some more data, coordinate with other units for a full detail scan." Devlin ordered. "Better standby at defence stations until we know what it is."

"Working now."

"Captain, message on general frequency." Makin called over. "A distress signal, not UN or Gamilas."

"Punch it up."

The large display screen that loomed over the front of the bridge illuminated, static dancing for a few moments as the communications gear cleaned up the signal and brought a ghostly white face to the screen. It was a female, she could have been human apart from violet eyes and ears that ended in a classic elven style point straight from a fiction book.

"Translator says the language is Jirellan." Makin scrolled the computer readings. "Former Gamilas subject world, presumed extinct apart from a small colony living on a mobile planet... mobile planet?"

"A large mass capable of warp travel." Devlin recognised. "Do we have a translation?"

"Finished downloading sir, applying filter."

"To any ship, to anyone, we are out of control, systems are down..." The white figure spoke frantically. "We need help, evacuation..."

The return signal came in from the Enterprise on the same frequency, the fleet commander taking responsibility for managing a response.

"Unknown ship this is Admiral Alan Brand, UNCF Seventh Fleet, we hear you and are prepared to assist. What is your difficulty?"

"Human." The figure sank in obvious relief. "Thank the gods, we are colonists, settlers trying to build a new home on an Akerian ruin, an artificial planet that just started making warp jumps, we don't know why but we can't control it. We need evacuation, we need to get off this place before it takes us somewhere fatal."

"Understood, how many colonists are there?"

"About sixteen thousand."

"Sixteen thousand?"

"Yes, we'd already formed a colony, been settled for years when this started. We only have twelve hours, that's how long it takes to recharge the warp engines."

"Then we can help, standby colony, we're on our way."

"And afterwards Admiral we may have information for you about a threat to Earth. We must be swift."

The transmission ended, new data flashing up.

"Coordinates for immediate jump, confirmed as location of unknown mass." Nagano double checked. "System online."

"Engines looking good?" Devlin asked with mild trepidation. "This is only our third ever jump."

"All good Captain, system engaging automatically."

"Automatically." Devlin gritted his teeth. "Hooray for automation."

With no input from the crew the ship made it's jump on Admiral Brand's say so emerging instantaneously at it's destination, the rest of the fleet warping in around the Artemisia in flashes of coruscating light. Ahead of them was the target, a planet that was rolling like a ball down a hallway end over end, a truly surreal image that should not have been anywhere near possible under the laws of physics. The world still had normal weather, stable oceans, its crust remained uncracked and atmosphere unmoved, it should have been impossible but likewise planets shouldn't be making warp jumps either.

The answer was probably in the dozens of massive loops of silver metal rising from the planet, emerging from one pole and looping out thousands of miles into space before returning to the other pole. They looked like a drawing of a magnetic field around a planet, or perhaps a giant birdcage.

It was engineering far beyond human ability and from the current situation likely beyond Jirellan control too.

"Signal from Fleet Command sir."

"Patch it through Lieutenant."

The main screen split, on one side was the balding head of Admiral Brand with his short cropped hair and hawk like features, on the other was Captain Jiang Zhou of the Arcadia, the younger of the three Battlegroup commanders but arguably the most celebrated and decorated.

"Gentlemen, I understand this isn't what we expected but we're not in a position to abandon people in distress, aliens included." Brand began. "Our initial sensor scan confirms this is an artificial construct with a biosphere over the top, the planet is we think mostly hollow and too small to hold an atmosphere so there must be artificial gravity holding it all in place. We should have enough ships to evacuate the population in one trip, fortunately they are all in one cluster of settlements so we'll put down as close as possible and work fast. The question is what we do after?"

"You're worried about where it will jump Admiral?" Zhou reasoned.

"Exactly, something that big could cause a lot of damage if it jumped on top of a planet."

"Even a near miss would cause serious tidal and tectonic damage." Devlin agreed.

"So we're going to stop it." Brand concluded. "If we can hotwire it or shut down the warp drives so much the better, but if not then we must destroy it. Fleet wide wave gun salvo."

"I agree Admiral." Zhou responded.

"Likewise, we'll be ready to act." Devlin echoed.

"Very good, but first things first, my staff is coordinating landing positions and optimal loading schedules, we'll feed it through the datalinks and your ships will land and deploy automatically. Keep this line open Captains, otherwise proceed with the evacuation."

Reaching the planet was going to take careful timing, the large metal loops surrounding the rolling planet like a birdcage were a significant obstacle and even with all their strength it probably wasn't going to be healthy for an Earth ship to fly into one. The fleet began to disperse and spread out as navigation systems analysed the movement of the planet and timed a safe approach each ship lining itself up and applying a suitable rate of thrust.

"Captain, energy spike on sensors." Nagano warned. "Incoming warp signatures."

"Classify them."

"Classification is..." Nagano waited for the data to compile. "Gamilas, IFF reads Twenty First Heavy Response Division."

Not far from the Earth fleet space erupted again in light as multiple portals threw a second assortment of warships into local space, this time built around a far more alien and uncomfortable set of designs.

"That's the unit we were due to link up with for the exercise." Devlin watched the alien ships loop around toward the Jirellan colony on a matching course beside the Earth ships. "They must be responding to the distress call too."

"The Admiral is in contact with them, they are coordinating a joint rescue, receiving new revised landing coordinates."

Devlin took a few moments to examine the Gamilas fleet as the Artemisia lined up for her sprint to the planet, the cluster of alien warships deploying in much the same staggered formation as the Earth fleet to dodge in past the unusual metal constructs around the colony. Most of the Gamilas fleet was made up of the familiar green cruisers and destroyers with a few battleships at the core, the same vaguely aquatic looking vessels that had become painfully familiar as enemies during the war. But at the heart of the fleet were two newer designs, a pair of Gelvades class Battlecarriers and a massive Zoellugut class Super Dreadnought in a striking red and black paint scheme.

Those three ships were the real focus of the exercise, they were relatively new designs and hadn't been deployed to fight in the Earth/Gamilas war making them something of a mystery. As the pride of the Gamilas Navy UN command wanted more data on their abilities just in case it was ever needed, the only real data Earth had was from the Yamato mission where the Battleship had encountered a few of this type and had taken a serious beating in the process.

"Last time I was this close to a Gamilas warship I was ordering ramming speed." Devlin remarked quietly.

"The people on the colony might feel the same, the Gamilans glassed their homeworld and nearly exterminated them." Nagano followed his Captain's thoughts. "Gives us a lot in common."

"Hell of a thing." Devlin exhaled. "We can think about it later, time to planet perimeter?"

"Thirty seconds."

"Pray the computer gets the timing right or we're going to be a bug on a windscreen here."

Without hesitation the Artemisia pressed forward, her course arcing ever so slightly as the flight systems made a last moment correction before cruising forward. She deftly missed the rotating multi mile wide metal loops surrounding the colony and nimbly passed through the perimeter with a few escorts, the rest of the fleet following in three further batches after each rotation of the planet.

"We're clear, estimate three minutes until we can begin landing procedures." Newman announced. "Area looks clear, the Jirellans are already gathering."

"Has the Admiral requested engineering teams to survey the technology on the planet?" Devlin asked.

"Not yet sir." Makin replied.

"Have the launch bay get a Seagull transport plane ready to fly just in case, we don't want to prolong this."

"Captain, I'm reading a decrease in engine power." Nagano frowned. "Compensating but it's going to affect our schedule."

"Cause?"

"Unknown, we are experiencing some unusual gravity fluctuations in local space from the planet but already compensated. This looks like a reactor issue."

Devlin winced slightly, this wasn't unexpected with a brand new ship on its first real journey, these kind of teething troubles were bound to show up and would be easy to fix on exercise. Unfortunately reactor problems in the middle of a rescue mission were a different story.

"Engineering, bridge." Devlin activated internal comms. "Ben, what's happening with the reactor?"

"I don't know Captain, all systems show green." Kalani's voice betrayed his concern. "But we are definitely losing power, we're showing a hundred percent but only ninety percent is getting through."

"Captain, other ships are also reporting power loss." Makin suddenly cut in. "Unknown cause."

"Other ships too?" Nagano looked back at his Captain. "That's not a mechanical failure then, not on different ships all at the same time."

"Scan the area, if there's something out there affecting all our..."

"Captain, power surge on the planet!"

They were close enough to see through the bridge windows a sudden pulse of energy, a spherical wave that was emitted from the artificial world that radiated outward toward them.

"Sound collision alert."

A terse siren sounded as the energy wave struck them, shaking the ship but not severely, much less than Devlin feared.

"That was a ripple in space-time." Nagano reported. "Gravitic and subspace energy, wait, another one incoming!"

The ship rocked again, a little more this time.

"Bridge, engine room, power drain now at twenty percent and rising fast, nothing has halted it, we have about two minutes until we're dead in space." Kalani called up, his words hasty emphasising the urgency of the developing situation. "Suggest we withdraw immediately!"

"Another gravity wave!" Nagano's voice was rising too. "They're getting stronger!"

In a single minute the situation had changed completely and was escalating, while the rescue mission had carried an element of risk this now was becoming a clear threat to the fleet. Time was not now a luxury Devlin had, he had to make a rapid and unpleasant decision.

"Bring us about, inform fleet command of our status, we are unable to continue rescue operations."

"No need Captain, Admiral Brand just ordered the fleet to pull back outside the colony perimeter."

That was reassuring, it was a tough choice to abandon the rescue but Earth couldn't risk losing this many top of the line warships during a time of war. Brand had taken that responsibility.

"Helm responding, all ships coming about." Newman relayed.

"The Gamilas ships are pulling back too." Nagano observed. "Power levels at forty percent and still falling."

"Sir, signal from the planet." Makin reported as the ship turned hard, the view from the windows shifting away from the rolling planet.

"On speakers."

"You must escape!" The voice Devlin recognised as the Jirellan leader warned fiercely. "The warp drives are coming on line! It's supposed to take hours but I think it's recharging itself using the reactors from your ships, get away as fast as you can! It could start at any second!"

"That'll explain it." Devlin grimaced. "Status?"

"Engines at twenty five percent, fusion reactors and batteries are also drained."

"Put everything into the engines."

"Aye sir, reading another gravity wave inbound, a big one."

The ship jolted hard this time, the spheres of energy strengthening as power built up in the world behind them. The Artemisia was struggling but still moving, the gravity waves actually helping a little to push her outward, but around her the smaller ships were having an even harder time.

"Gamilas fleet is breaking up." Nagano warned. "They're falling behind."

Without the raw strength of the Earth ships the smaller Gamilas destroyers and cruisers were succumbing to the power drain, the green vessels dimming as engines darkened followed by their internal lights. Another thud echoed as a gravity wave rushed past, shaking the Earth ships and now scattering and hurling the powerless lighter Gamilas units like chaff.

"Captain, the destroyers Burke and Tanaka report their power reserves are exhausted." Makin listened to their reports. "We're starting to lose the smaller ships."

There was nothing they could do, a thousand thoughts ran through Devlin's mind from tow cables to pushing them clear but it was all fantasy, if they stopped to help they'd be lost themselves.

"Once we're clear we'll rebuild power and mount a rescue mission, find a countermeasure, tell those ships we won't abandon them."

The Gamilas ships were now virtually silent, only the Dreadnought herself still had power and that was failing. Among the Earth ships cruisers were now struggling and falling aside, the more frequent hammering gravity pulses throwing them about and battering the unprotected hulls.

"Reactor output now five percent, at current speed forty seconds to perimeter!"

You didn't need to be a maths genius to work out the numbers.

"We're not going to make it."

"Dump the records, upload the ship logs to the fleet network." Devlin ordered his comms officer. "Make sure UN command is aware of our situation and doesn't blunder in to rescue us and get caught too."

"Dumping data."

"Main power failing." Nagano noted as the lights and screens flickered. "Major gravity wave on the way."

"This is going to be unpleasant."

The ship rolled hard as the wall of energy hit, the impact rattling fittings and teeth violently shaking the crew. The lights went out and did not come back on, the sensation coupled with a sudden lightness as the artificial gravity died leaving just the seatbelts holding Devlin and his people in place.

"If we can survive a few more hits it might push us out of range." He remarked. "We must be close to the perimeter now."

The ship was rolling and turning gently altering the view from the bridge windows. They could see the Gamilas fleet in the same helpless state forced to simply watch grimly as the strong hull of a battleship ploughed through a destroyer bending the smaller ship in two and splitting gashes across its hull that leaked white vapour into the void.

"Our hull can take a few more solid hits but I'm not sure about our escorts." The sight raised the issue in Devlin's mind.

"They'll be safer than in suits or escape pods." Nagano reasoned. "Look out, another wave."

They could see the distortion made by the gravity, the bending of light. This was going to be a very bad one.

"Hold on." He said without need.

The helplessness was intolerable, the most advanced and mightiest ship in human history now as helpless as driftwood in a hurricane. The artificial planet, the lost technology of an amazingly advanced vanished civilisation still utterly outmatching the young pretenders. All they could hope was that the unknowable routine of this wandering planet would cast them to safety and wash them out of range.

The gravity wave crashed into them yet again thumping and banging on the hull, jolting the crew ever more violently. It brought a growing anger, all this power and once again Devlin was reduced to watching his allied ships slowly failing. He saw the blue stiletto hull of a cruiser rise up beside the Artemisia inexorably tumbling closer, pushed by the wave directly toward them on a collision course.

Metal squealed and screeched as the two massive objects skimmed each other followed swiftly after by deeper clanks and rumbling crashes as the hulls locked together. It was a fairly slow crash but the sheer masses involved left both vessels dented and leaking jets of rapidly freezing air from bent hull panels.

In the distance a final distortion enveloped the planet and then expanded out, the now familiar ripple of light and distorted gravity but this time instead of a mighty hammer blow that threatened to crush the stranded ships it merely passed over them in a shower of colour, a bright glow like sunlight seen from under the sea, and when it passed everything went completely still. 


	3. 2

-2-

Whatever had happened he was alive. Breath still filled his lungs, the air slightly chilly but growing warmer. He felt heavy, slouched down in his chair which meant gravity was back working again and there was a gentle green glow around him as his command consoles illuminated with basic information. Ahead the tall windows still showed the Jirellan colony, the artificial planet Lyonesse, but now it was still and at peace. The hammering gravity waves had stopped, the sirens and alarms were silent, it was for a single savoured moment utterly peaceful.

And then it was back to work.

"Commander Nagano?" Devlin spoke, his voice quieter than he expected. "Still here?"

"Still here sir." He replied groggily from his station ahead of the Captain. "Dizzy but still in one piece."

"Lieutenant Makin, Lieutenant Newman?

"Here sir."

"I'm okay sir." Newman groaned. "I think we made a warp jump, or at least the planet did and it took us with it."

"That's a hell of a jump, I haven't been warp sick since the first few times." Nagano exhaled uncomfortably. "I'm not reading any major damage, internal sensors are compiling but looks like a lot of systems are down and we had some minor breaches on the starboard quarter."

"Casualties?"

"Still compiling, but internal sensor sweep shows all crew alive."

"Engine room." Devlin tapped the comms panel. "Still with us down there Ben?"

He took a moment but soon the familiar voice answered.

"Still here sir, I have wounded though, request medical teams."

"On the way." He nodded over to Nagano who quickly contacted sick bay. "Reactor status?"

"It looks like it rebooted automatically, did we jump?"

"We got caught in the planet's wake."

"That fits." Kalani grunted. "The system seems fine, we're at ten percent power now, I can probably give us a full hundred percent but I'd prefer to check everything out before if I can."

"Do so." Devlin ordered. "Looks quiet up here but be ready to give me everything if we need to move fast."

"You'll have it sir."

With his ship status confirmed he moved to his next task.

"Mr Nagano, get me reports on all battlegroup units, I want damage, status and readiness on all vessels. Forward that to the Enterprise as soon as you have it so the Admiral knows where we stand."

"Aye sir."

"Miss Makin, anything from UN Command?"

"No sir, but our long range comms are down, we wouldn't know even if they were hailing us."

"Speaking of where the hell are we? Bruce?"

"According to stellar positioning we're about two lightyears from Earth in empty space." The Helmsman calculated. "Nothing out here, just us, the Gamilas fleet and the planet."

The Planet. The first priority once the condition of the fleet was assessed had to be to get to a safe distance so this didn't happen again. His console showed a short range scan of the world revealing nothing out of the ordinary, it had stopped rolling and it still had its atmosphere but revealed nothing too unusual for a planet that could travel apparently at its own discretion.

"Captain, I've got damage reports downloading from the fleet." Nagano drew his attention. "No ships lost but multiple vessels report heavy damage. Casualty reports will take a few more minutes but there will be fatalities. Sorry sir."

"Understood Commander. Make sure Command is aware, then focus on restoring long range communications."

"Yes sir."

"Makin, anything from the planet?"

"Main sensors are down but from the backups it looks stable, the settlements appear intact but we're too far out to look for life signs. No unusual energy readings."

"Try to contact them, and the Gamilas fleet too, they should be close enough for standard radio communications."

The lights on the bridge suddenly powered up to full brightness, the variety of displays also blazing back to full capacity instead of their emergency energy conserving mode.

"Bridge, engine room here, main reactor checked out and full power restored."

"Thanks Ben, we'll probably be doing some towing, can we handle the extra mass?"

"Yes sir, shouldn't be a problem."

"Inform me of any changes or power drains, we'll need to act immediately this time."

"Will do sir."

"Captain, I have the Admiral." Makin called over.

"Patch him through." Devlin gestured to the main bridge monitors.

The large display screen above the forward windows brought up the sharp faced Admiral, a blood stained pad freshly taped to his forehead.

"Captain Devlin, I received your report, is the Artemisia operational?"

"More or less, yes sir, we have full engine and reactor power but sensors and comms are limited to radio and EM systems."

"We've also lost long ranged systems, it looks like it might be interference from the planet, these strange structures surrounding us." Brand theorised. The Enterprise had cutting edge sensors in addition to a large staff of expert engineers and scientists who had been aboard to evaluate the trials. They probably knew a lot more than Devlin did right now.

"Understood sir."

"Once we're mobile we're going to get our ships clear and then try again to rescue the colony, it looks quiet over there for now but we saw how quickly that can change, especially if our ships are feeding it with our Wave cores."

"The Artemisia can begin immediately sir, we should also have our battleship escorts online in a few more minutes."

On the screen Brand shook his head.

"You can leave that to us Captain, we need more help out here and we need to let Earth know we're alright. With comms down we're going to have to warp back to Earth and do it the old fashioned way."

"I see sir, you want us to go?"

"It looks like your command endured this situation better than most, you're best placed to head back. How is your warp drive?"

"No issues sir."

"Then head off as soon as possible, let your second take command of the recovery mission." Brand ordered. "Give Earth our status and get some help out here, we're in no shape to do this alone."

"At once Admiral."

"Thanks Matt, Brand out."

That was that, they now another job to do.

"You heard the Admiral, bring us about and get us clear of the colony perimeter." Devlin ordered. "Engine Room, Ben, we're going to need to warp, please tell me that's not going to make us explode?"

"System is green sir, I'm a little concerned about warping so soon after a cold restart but we should be fine."

"I'll take that as a hearty endorsement. Standby."

"We're crossing the perimeter sir." Newman pointed out. "No change in engine status."

The Artemisia fired up its thrusters and swiftly cruised past the now stationary metal loops surrounding the planet, the shiny miles thick metal innocuous but still highly irregular. It was almost impossible to imagine how they had been built, let alone why, though the fact the planet could warp jump probably had something to do with it.

"We are free and clear to navigate." Newman noted as they exited the perimeter doing nothing to hide his relief.

"Very well, lay in course for Sol, Jupiter."

"Jupiter sir? Not Earth?" Newman asked.

"The Third fleet is currently based at Jupiter, we need help first and those are the closest friendly ships." Devlin answered. "We'll contact Earth after, first priority is the rescue."

"Aye sir, setting course for Jupiter." Newman prepared, frowning slightly as the computer fed through the coordinates.

"Problem?" Devlin noticed his helmsman's expression.

"No sir, just had to adjust the coordinates slightly, Jupiter is in a different location. System must not have updated."

"You're not going to fly us into a moon are you Bruce?"

"No sir, even without Tachyon sensors we can still predict based on radar returns, system has updated based on observations, just didn't match the records."

"We'll do a check later, if we're safe to jump engage when ready."

"Yes sir, clear to Warp in three, two, one..."

*

Again the travel was instant, the distance a short hop for the Artemisia. She emerged from the distortion in a shower of ice, a peculiarity of the Iscandarian technology, and came to a stop a few thousand kilometres from the stormy giant.

"Contact Third Fleet Command." Devlin ordered.

"Yes sir, trying secure frequencies."

They sat quietly for a few moments as Makin worked.

"Lieutenant?"

"Still cycling sir." She answered. "I have no response."

"No response? What about Jovian station?"

"Nothing there either sir."

Devlin checked his console, the computer confirming no response to their was extremely unusual, their unscheduled warp should have tripped every alarm in the system and Jupiter was one of the key defensive possessions hosting an elite fleet of warships and several major fortresses. Even if their transmitters were faulty their arrival should have drawn a swift response.

"What about civilian channels, try a general distress signal."

"Already have sir, no answer."

"Impossible, is the system working?"

"Long range comms still down but short range radio is fine sir, there's just no answer."

"The entire system should be on high alert after that mobile planet arrived then vanished with us." The Captain shuffled his thoughts. By standard procedure every active ship would be either in position waiting for further orders or be in the process of launching, an event like this would almost certainly have resulted in a full mobilisation. So where was everyone?

"Sir." Nagano joined in with a sober tone. "I ran a short range scan, this close we should be able to see the station. It's gone."

Devlin felt his jaw muscles tense.

"Destroyed?"

"I can't tell, sensors show debris in orbit, man made debris, but it doesn't match the position of Jovian station or the fleet."

"Is it from the Gamilas war? An old fleet?"

"The altitude suggests very recent, some of it still looks warm. Sir, if the readings are right it was destroyed at most an hour ago."

"We only left the system thirty minutes ago." Newman turned around. "We had no reports of a disaster or accident, and the only warp in was the Jirellan planet."

"I know, but that's what the sensors say." Nagano repeated. "It's a very recent debris field, but it doesn't match the orbit of any of our facilities and I can't see any other ships or bases or satellites, nothing."

Devlin's first instinct was to ask what the hell was happening but as Captain he couldn't show anything other than calm control. This situation was completely unexplainable but it didn't mean he could abandon his mission.

"Mr Newman, prepare to jump to Mars."

"Sir." Nagano faced him. "Perhaps we should head directly to Earth, if something is happening..."

"..Then the last thing we want to do is warp directly into a major crisis." Devlin finished for him. "From Mars we can get a clearer picture of Earth and contact our home defence forces. Even if Jupiter is gone Mars is far too heavily defended to fall in thirty minutes. Jump when ready Mr Newman."

"Yes sir, short range warp, initiating."

Mars was a planet with a turbulent history, colonised by Earth, partially terraformed after a sudden burst of scientific advancement, and then subject to two vicious wars that had ended with Mars beaten and it's population forcibly re-integrated back on Earth. Today while Mars had cold seas it had little greenery and it's atmosphere wasn't quite enough to survive under. It was hoped advanced Gamilas terraforming technology could help fix that but the Earth Federation leadership was in no hurry to press forward.

It was however home to several major military bases and Naval dockyards along with multiple smaller facilities. Mars was the last line of defence before Earth and consequently had been given a formidable array of armed satellites, space stations and an extremely powerful guard fleet. In the event of a major conflict Mars was expected to hold out for weeks under any imaginable attack or to use its position and fleets to flank any direct assault on Earth.

It was a popular destination with regards to training troops for offworld hostile environment missions and an important hub for trade and travel with Earth's nascent extra solar colonies and possessions, consequently it was always busy with at least several hundred ships circling the planet at any given time.

Or at least that was the scene the Artemisia expected to meet on arrival, but instead as she slid toward orbit she found absolutely nothing, not in orbit and not on the surface either.

"This is just getting ridiculous."

Devlin stood up from his chair and walked to the front of the bridge and leaned up against the windows to see Mars with his own eyes.

"Where's the Borealis Ocean? Where's the Arcadian ruins or the Nostrum Base?"

"I don't know sir, there's no trace of anything on sensors." Nagano shook his head equally perplexed.

"Is Earth still there? Tell me that at least!"

"Yes sir, and we're picking up a lot of civilian comms traffic, but I can't explain this."

The mission was becoming increasingly disastrous, Brand and the fleet were expecting help, dozens of Earth ships to lend assistance and preserve the battered Seventh Fleet. Right now that just wasn't happening and instead everything they knew as fact had completely changed.

"When the planet warped, when it took us with it, something else must have happened." Devlin gradually reasoned. "Not just moving from one point in space to another, perhaps in time too, back before the colonisation?"

"Possibly, but that wouldn't explain the debris at Jupiter." His First Officer pointed out. "If we could get a mass that big that far out Mars would have been easy."

"Lieutenant Makin, any answer to our signals at this range?"

"Negative sir, nothing on any military or government channel, not even an automated message or disaster beacon."

"Civilian Departments?" Devlin asked. "Aerospace Traffic Control?"

"Not on our standard frequencies But I am reading orbital traffic management signals, flight paths, waypoint markers, that sort of thing."

"Well that's something."

"Also lots of signal traffic, both personal and corporate, a hell of a lot." Makin reported. "There are several channels showing I think some sort of movie."

"Which one?"

"One second sir, I'll put it on the main screen."

The blank display changed to show what seemed to be a news story, a video of massive alien looking warmachines striding through a city amid pillars of smoke firing red beams at the surface. A reporter was frantically shouting messages but his voice was inaudible over the screams of fleeing people, the thud of explosions and the strange bellowing horns of the aliens.

"Is it War of the Worlds?" Newman asked. "A new version?"

"Bit tasteless." Nagano gritted his teeth. "Look there, that's old Tokyo, the towers there and there, that one was from the twentieth century. It hasn't looked like that since before the Gamilas attack."

"San Francisco too when it still had hills instead of just craters." Newman remarked as the screen showed other cities also under attack. "I'd forgotten."

"Wait." Nagano broke off. "I have a contact, single structure below us, definitely man made."

"On Mars?"

"Yes sir."

Quickly Devlin trotted back to his command station.

"Bring us in over its location. What do you make of it?"

"Too small to be a colony, probably an outpost but doesn't match any of our records."

"Something has very clearly gone very horribly wrong." Devlin accepted. "But we can't deny what is in front of us, we need to gather as much data as possible here and at Earth."

"Sir, one more contact, it's a starship!" Nagano blurted out. "She's holding station above the outpost, looks like a destroyer or light cruiser based on mass but I haven't seen the design before."

Devlin called up the sensor readings, a holographic model of the new contact materialising in front of him. It was a sleek ship, the central hull slim and gently curved with a pair of canted wings at the back. Four very large engines were integrated into the wing giving it plenty of thruster power. Clearly a ship designed for speed.

"That's English writing on the side so at least she's local." Devlin observed. "Normandy, SR2."

"Normandy." Nagano echoed. "So she's an Earth ship? But is she friendly? And where the hell did she come from?"

*

"...And where the hell did she come from?"

Today was turning into one of those days. It hadn't started well, he'd hit his elbow on the side of his bunk and for a half hour it felt like his arm was about to fall off. Then there had been Shepard's summons to Alliance Command which was always going to be about as much fun as eating glass, oh, and as the icing on the proverbial cake several thousand unstoppable alien death machines then invaded Earth and began the genocide of human civilisation.

And it wasn't even lunchtime.

"Unknown, the vessel matches no known Alliance design." The ever collected voice of EDI informed, her sphere of blue holographic light giving Joker something to actually talk to on the flight deck instead of just thin air. "I can also find nothing in Cerberus records or known alien designs."

"Great." Jeff 'Joker' Moreau resolved himself for another really crappy experience. "Has it seen us?"

"It appears to be altering course and decelerating, I would believe so Joker." EDI analysed. "While our stealth systems are active we are silhouetted against the Martian surface at this altitude."

"Well we can't run with the team still on the surface, and it hasn't fired on us yet." Joker reasoned. "What do you make of her?"

"Approximately cruiser mass, unknown hull material, unknown propulsion, unknown weapons, unknown power systems."

"Unknown? So what do we know?"

"The vessel has English writing on the hull." She brought an image up on the nearest screen. "A-19 Artemisia, UNCF-AAA-0019-2202, United Nations Cosmo Forces."

"Who uses the word 'Cosmo' any more?"

"Russians." EDI mentioned. "However I don't think it is related, the technology is unknown and I am unable to scan the ship accurately. There is an unknown type of high energy field interfering with my efforts."

From this range the newly arrived ship was visible, a rich blue with white markings. It didn't have the wings or external engines common to human designs seeming to prefer a more internal clustered arrangement. It was narrow but clearly well armed with prominent gun turrets and what were likely a pair of side by side spinal weapon mounts displayed prominently at the bow.

"She hasn't targeted us or opened fire yet, maybe she's lost or..."

"Signal incoming from unknown ship." EDI interrupted.

"Okay, I, err, I guess I'm in command right?" Joker hoped it wasn't so.

"You are the current ranking officer."

"Alright then, right, put it through."

"I say again this is the Battleship Artemisia on behalf of the Earth Federation, your vessel is unknown to us, please identify yourself and state your intentions."

"This is a Cerberus designed vessel, it would not be well known outside Alliance high command." EDI noted. "However I recognise no official body named the Earth Federation."

"Let's ask." Joker opened the comms line. "Artemisia this is the SSV Normandy operating under Systems Alliance Jurisdiction, we are acting under orders of Admiral Hackett and cannot give more details. Your vessel is also unknown to us and you are breaching the Mars Quarantine, not that laws matter much today."

"We don't know any organisation known as the Systems Alliance." The reply fed through. "Or an Admiral Hackett."

Joker made a twisted face, glancing at EDI who remained as glowing and Orb-y as usual.

"You don't know the Systems Alliance?"

"Negative, it isn't in our database of recognised organisations."

"And we have no record of the Earth Federation."

There was a long moment of silence.

"How can you not recognise the government of this solar system?" The new ship asked.

"I was going to ask the same thing, the Systems Alliance is pretty famous."

"Are you saying that Earth is governed by the Systems Alliance, not the Earth Federation?"

"What exactly is happening here?" Joker began to lose patience. "I like a joke as much as the next guy but this isn't the time. Look, we've got minutes until this area is swarming with Reapers, we can play this out or you can just tell me what's going on? Your call."

"All due respect Normandy but we're in the dark on this one, we were deployed on a rescue mission, it experienced some difficulties, we came home to gather more help and found virtually everything changed. Same worlds, different civilisation."

"I don't really know what any of that means but let me give you some advice, get out of here, find safety, don't get any closer to Earth."

"Why? And what's a Reaper?"

He was interrupted by a separate incoming message, a distress signal from the ground.

"It's Shepard's team requesting assistance." EDI informed.

"Okay, we're going." Joker powered up. "Artemisia, great as this chat was we've got a job to do. Get out of here, if you want to keep playing find us at the Citadel, ask for John Shepard. He loves this kind of humour."

He ended the signal and accelerated sharply toward the planet.

"Joker, Commander Shepard hates anything frustrating like..."

"I know EDI, that was the point."

"I see. I still require further input on the concept of humour."

"For now angle the barriers and try to make sure we don't break up when we hit the atmosphere."

"Affirmative."

The frigate dived into the atmosphere with a glow of friction pushed on bright blue engine flames, the other warship hanging above still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"This is like a bad episode of 'Time Space Police Hero.' or something." Nagano decided gaining odd looks from his colleagues. "Was a show when I was a kid, pretty famous, no one else heard of it?"

"No."

"It was about the multiverse, parallel worlds, alternate universes. It was fiction but a lot of scientists think it's possible. That there can be mirrors of reality but with a few difference. Sometimes a lot of differences."

"It might be true, I've managed to connect to something called the Extranet, works just like our own infonet." Makin reported. "I'm downloading all I can but I don't think all these civilian signals are old movies. I think Earth really is under attack, especially as that unknown ship seemed keen to get out of here."

"This is way, way above our paygrade." Devlin concluded. "And if there is some sort of war going on, and it isn't our government, we don't want to get the UN dragged into this with Gatlantis on our doorstep. We have our own problems."

Something had definitely gone very wrong, whatever that damn Akerian planet had done to them it wasn't something he was going to fix alone.

"Get us back to the colony, whatever these Reapers are I don't think we want to take them on here."

"Yes sir, setting course back to the fleet."

"The Admiral is not going to like this."

*

Contrary to expectations Admiral Brand was not aboard the Enterprise coordinating activities from the extensive command facilities she carried. When the Artemisia returned and checked in they were informed he had gone down to the Jirellan colony with the engineering teams which wasn't in Devlin's mind a great idea. Still he had to make his report and for something of this magnitude it was going to have to be face to face.

The battleship moved into orbit with as much trepidation as a machine could show and opened it's flank launch bays releasing one of the VTOL SC-97 Seagull transports that were ubiquitous across the Earth fleets, the blocky grey and white craft curving with a grace it didn't really deserve and dropping into the artificial atmosphere.

"Pretty nice planet." The pilot peered out, Lieutenant Joanna Cadiz who was usually more at home flying one of the far faster and more deadly Tiger II Strike Fighters of the Artemisia Airwing.

She wasn't wrong Devlin nodded, there was sea, savannah, forests, a whole range of environments with a temperate feel. The planet was smaller than Mars though not by much giving it plenty of space for settlements which dotted the surface in clusters linked by thin lines of grav train rails. Scans had shown several major cities but only one had been occupied, and even then only a tiny fraction of it.

"It'd be nicer if it hadn't dropped us all in this crazy mess." He grunted.

"Heard some chatter about that sir, nobody really had an idea what was happening."

"We're still gathering facts."

"So we're not going home yet sir?"

"Not until the mission is done Lieutenant." Devlin dodged.

"Understood sir."

The white and grey transport craft looped over the only settled part of the planet slowing to a halt over a large park in the centre of the city encompassing a lake, a few groves of trees and a helpfully flat area of open grassland large enough to serve as a makeshift landing zone. Cadiz reached forward and shifted a couple of control levers causing the wing mounted engines to tilt downward putting the Seagull into a steady hover. Below were several other Earth built transport craft plus a handful of Gamilas ones arranged in neat lines around the park, several small figures meandering around them.

"Alright Lieutenant, here will do."

"Yes sir, putting her down."

With a gentle touch Cadiz landed her transport and powered down the engines with a few button pushes, the whining howl of the thrusters subsiding to nothing.

"I don't plan to be long, keep her warmed up."

"Yes sir."

"I still don't trust this damn planet, be ready to take off quick."

Joanna smiled.

"Yes sir."

The scenery was as expected amazing, tall ornate towers that still looked magnificent made from a mixture of metals and other materials Their gleaming surfaces bore complex patterns that decorated each structure apparently untouched by the passage of time. The park itself was also unusually neat and tidy, the trees and grass kept trima nd tended with no signs of being overgrown as one would expect of an abandoned world. Another peculiarity of this outlandish place.

A little further along he located Admiral Brand gesturing at the city with a few blue officers and some of the civilian staff from the Enterprise around him, in addition to more interestingly a pair of willowy Jirellans.

"Captain Devlin, over here." Brand waved over. "Glad you're back, I apologise for not being on the Enterprise when you returned but we made a breakthrough down here."

"The scientists on your ship were able to identify the control mechanisms for the warp drives." A tall female Jirellan with flowing white hair and long lines of tattoos on her arms and shoulders spoke. He recognised her as the one who made the distress signal, two more diamond shaped tattoos visible under her eyes as she looked toward the Captain. "It was an extremely fortunate discovery." She concluded wistfully.

"You remember Regent Ida? She's the elected leader of this colony."

"Glad things have calmed down Regent." Devlin nodded a greeting.

"We were lucky having some of the Enterprise designers aboard to observe the trials, including an expert on wave energy cores which this planet apparently has." Brand related. "So we may not need to evacuate after all. Did you bring any ships with you? I'll have to contact them, tell them the situation is under control."

"Actually sir I didn't manage to bring any ships back, or inform command of our situation."

Brand paused, not expecting that report.

"Didn't you make it to Earth captain?"

"After a fashion." He produced a data pad, a thin silver tablet with a glowing screen. "This report has more detail sir, but when this planet warped and took us all with it I don't think it was a conventional warp jump. Maybe the experts can explain it but it looks like the jump took us sideways. And it seems back sixteen years."

"Sideways?"

"It is our belief that we are no longer in the universe, our universe I mean, but in a mirror reality. A parallel world where things seem to have evolved differently."

Brand looked at him for a long moment, determined he wasn't drunk or suffering a serious head injury, and then started reading the report.

After three consecutive read throughs he passed the pad to his aide.

"Get Dr Menzies to read that, he's working on the Wave cores, he might know what exactly it means."

The aide nodded and scurried away with the pad leaving the Admiral to turn his attention back to Devlin.

"So we have no support, no command, no government or Admiralty?"

"No sir."

"Earth still exists but it has followed a different development and has little in common with our home?"

"Yes sir."

"And at the moment is being invaded by a massive alien force?"

"So it would appear."

"It's out of left field, I'll give it that." Brand exhaled. "Not the sort of training mission I was expecting."

"No sir."

"At least we seem secure here, the fleet is damaged but no ship is written off." Brand informed. "We lost twenty two rating killed, about triple that wounded, bad but far less than I feared. We are still a viable fleet."

"And the Gamilans sir?"

"Their ships are mostly more lightly built than ours so they were hit harder, I don't know their losses but they seem viable and still ready to work with us. I guess they are stuck in the same boat as us now."

"As are we." Ida chipped in. "I am sorry for this, for our world resulting in your current situation."

"No one could have predicted this." Brand shook his head. "Our goal should be to reverse it, send us back home."

"Agreed sir."

"But before we do that we need to know what combination of events sent us here in the first place, and we'll need our fleet repaired so they can endure another jump. Land them down here perhaps." Brand considered. "Either way we're not going anywhere just yet."

"We are uncomfortably close to Earth sir, especially if the enemy is as powerful as these news reports suggest." Devlin pointed out.

"Indeed." Brand agreed. "We'll be maintaining comms silence I think."

"Yes sir."

"However if we are in unfamiliar space now with a potential threat on our doorstep we can't remain ignorant." The Admiral reasoned. "Can you show me the news reports again?"

"Yes sir."

He picked up another pad and linked to the Artemisia in orbit, typing in his ID code and drawing data from the ship's logs. With the data selected he handed it to the Admiral.

"Reapers then. Dramatic name." He watched a pair of giant insect like ships striding through a cityscape. "They're damn big, three kilometres?"

"I think so sir, though there are some smaller ones, possibly several variations." Devlin expanded. "But even the small ones look like they have a lot more mass than our heavy ships."

From over the Admiral's shoulder Ida paused, her eyes fixed on the image. For a while she said nothing, just watching in cold horror.

"I have seen this ship before." She announced suddenly. "Ones like it, they were attacking a world we believed was Earth but wasn't. An alien planet."

Both officers turned quickly toward her, their attention fully captured.

"You've encountered them?"

"Not exactly, we haven't seen them in person." She clarified. "One of the facilities here has a machine that allows us to view distant worlds. I'm not sure how it works, but I saw these ships on an unfamiliar world."

"If we have changed realities how did you see them?"

"I don't know, we haven't uncovered even a fraction of the secrets this world has. We don't know why it was built or abandoned, we were just grateful to land on a planet where the survivors of my species could try to rebuild."

"Of course." Brand nodded. "But it can't be a coincidence, and if this world brought us here perhaps that device has a part to play?"

"Perhaps, I will try to find more information but we are refugees Admiral, not scientists, or engineers. Some of us have expertise but we have only a few technicians and only one warrior. The rest of us are artisans, priests, chefs, just survivors Admiral."

"We will appreciate any help you can give." Brand offered a smile. "And we'll leave our own experts here to help. Meantime though we're going to need more information."

He turned back to Devlin.

"It seems Captain I have a use for you."

Devlin straightened. "The Artemisia stands ready sir."

"We have several ships operational but as you've already been out there I think you are the logical choice." The Admiral rationalised. "The ship you encountered, the Normandy, it said look them up at the Citadel correct?"

"Yes sir, out data dump of the Extranet says that Citadel Station is the hub of galactic diplomacy and trade, dozens of alien races have embassies there including the big alien powers in this version of the galaxy. That must be what he meant."

"And this Shepard person?"

"Commander John Shepard, Earth born special forces hero and I think the commanding officer of the Normandy, specifics seem classified but there's some news stories for him on the civilian net." Devlin stated. "We got a lot of data but we could use a real time uplink. Recommend deploying a comms drone or two near a public communications buoy in a nearby star system."

"Do we have a list of inhabited ones?"

"We got a basic map from the net, should be enough sir."

"Can you find your way to this Citadel Station?"

"Yes sir, we've worked out it's location and a route there. It's a fair distance but we should be able to use the local FTL network to get there."

"Mass Relay Gates." Brand scrolled through the data pad. "It's unfamiliar technology, are you sure it will work with our ships?"

"In theory yes sir, if not it's going to take months to get there."

"It's worth a try then." Brand considered. "This is a tall order Captain, we are talking a First Contact situation in a time of war, could be dangerous."

"Understood sir, we can go any time."

"Good man." Brand nodded. "But not yet, I need to talk to the Gamilans."

Devlin frowned.

"Really sir?"

"Of course, as I said they are stuck here too. I had command of the mission but that has changed, I'll need to work this out with Colonel Meredia though I'm confident she'll agree."

"If those are your orders sir."

"They are. How about you Regent Ida? The Jirellans are also involved here?"

"We have no interest in contact, we will focus our efforts on returning us back to where we all came from."

"I understand." Brand accepted diplomatically. "The Jirellans are considered friends of Earth after the Celestial Ark incident, we will defend this world in the mean time."

"We are thankful Admiral."

"As for you Matt, get back up top and get ready to go." Brand addressed Devlin. "You need anything?"

"No sir, we're still fixing our more sensitive systems but we can make this journey, and if we meet trouble we can handle it."

"Don't risk your command if you can avoid it, we can't afford to lose the Artemisia, we might need all that firepower if things go bad."

"Yes sir."

"But at the same time we need intel, hard data." Brand determined. "It's a risk but we're going to take it. Be ready to depart once I've spoken to the Gamilans, make sure we're on the same page."

"I'll get to work Admiral."

"Hopefully we won't need any of this information, but if nothing else it'll be a hell of a story when we get back to the fleet."


	4. 3

-3-

Citadel Station

"They're a bunch of self concerned jackasses Shepard!"

So stood the opinion of Donnel Udina, humanity's representative on the Citadel Council and by this point in the war the de facto leader of the Systems Alliance. While that might have sounded good on paper, the fulfilling of a long ambition even, the reality was a bitter and frustrating situation that only served to make the brusque and bad tempered politician even more so.

He stormed past Commander Shepard with a cloud of thunderous fury hanging over him and glared out of his office balcony, the almost legendary military officer remaining calm beside him and trying to project a relaxed air which in truth he did not feel either.

"We may have a spot on the Council but humanity will always be considered second rate."

It was a long held belief Udina harboured that despite incredible achievements, despite innovation and growth all but unmatched in the galaxy the other powers still looked down on Earth and her children. His frustrations working with the council had only reinforced that view over the years and today was the cruel vindication of his belief. Earth stood alone in it's time of greatest need and their so called friends and allies did nothing.

"They're still blind." Shepard agreed reluctantly.

"They're scared." Udina looked over the still peaceful scene beyond his office. "And they are looking out for themselves."

Shepard wasn't expecting a miracle. He didn't think the great powers of the galaxy would just mobilise every fleet and swarm toward Earth in a mighty crusade, indeed if they did it might only end in disaster. But he did have a plan, the data his friend Liara T'Soni had recovered during her time on Mars and that they had snatched together from under the noses of their enemies at great cost in blood offered a small tangible hope to grasp for. The Prothean superweapon known now as the Crucible.

It wasn't exactly clear how it worked but it was going to require massive resources, Earth alone probably couldn't do it but listening to Udina unfortunately they might have to.

"I'll keep working on it." Udina exhaled tiredly. "Gather what resources I can, call in favours, but with the way things are now I can't promise anything soon."

"I understand."

Shepard was starting to feel his weariness catch up with him, with the Council briefed and his team either safe or receiving the best hospital treatment available it was time to recover and prepare for whatever else got thrown at him. He ran a hand over his cropped hair, his uniform fatigues still stained with dirt and blood reeking of smoke and burning. Earth had fallen, he had been stood right there, he watched it happen and he had been powerless to stop it, to save lives, to turn back the Reaper tide. For all that he had done, all he had sacrificed and bled for he was still just one man standing in front of the tsunami.

"Earth has made some friends, created some goodwill, I will use that." Udina dropped in behind his desk, angry but focused mirroring Shepard's feelings. "I'll institute a draft on our colonies, make sure this Prothean weapon of yours has whatever it needs, whatever we can give it. We are not out of this war Commander, I swear it."

"Any news from Earth?"

"There is constant news from Earth, none of it good." He recited bitterly. "The Reapers destroyed anything we could have used, Nuclear missile silos, major bases, they walked through our defences in minutes."

"Admiral Hackett told me about that." Shepard recalled. "Hundreds of ships gone, Arcturus station destroyed, our entire defence routed."

Arcturus Station located one jump from Earth had been a massive five kilometre long starbases which had been the centre of Alliance Government, home to the Parliament and Prime Minister in addition to Alliance Naval Command. It had also guarded the relay link to Earth, any invader heading for the home of humanity would need to traverse Arcturus, consequently the region was heavily fortified and home to three full fleets of warships.

It had barely slowed the Reapers down. Admiral Steven Hackett, the Alliance's senior officer, had commanded the fleets engaged there and had withdrawn with nearly fifty percent casualties and very little to show for it. The station and fixed defences had not survived.

"I know... I knew," Udina corrected himself, "most of the members of Parliament on a first name basis, needed a second VI just to keep up with their birthdays. All gone"

He fixed Shepard with hard eyes.

"I have more power than any human in history and you have seen exactly how little that counts for."

"I should go." Shepard resolved, both of them were going to be incredibly busy.

"Very well, I'll be here if you ever need me." Udina accepted. "If you find anything that could help us out there inform me immediately."

"I will."

Shepard headed for the door, hearing a signal come through for Udina as he left but paying it no attention, they each had their battles to fight now.

"Wait, Shepard!" Udina called after him. "This is for you, Commander Bailey."

"Bailey?" Shepard paused. Bailey was head of Citadel Security responsible for guarding and policing the station. A competent and pragmatic man he was hard nosed but got his work done, even the Turians had grown to respect him.

"There's a ship docking, doesn't match any records but they are asking for you by name."

"Me?"

"You're famous remember?" Udina scoffed slightly. "Bailey's going to send them up to your office, whoever they are they might have something worth listening to."

"Tell him I'll be waiting."

There was no denying the space station was impressive, it's multi mile long panels radiating out like massive angular petals lined with cities containing millions of souls. It had no domes or glass panels like human designed space colonies from home, not that any had survived the Gamilas War, the atmosphere presumably held in place by energy shields or other advanced technology.

"I wonder who built it?" Devlin peered out through the flight deck windows of the Seagull as it made it's approach, a nebula behind the station an explosion of colour that further served to make this massive construct visually overwhelming.

"Whoever it was must have plenty of industry." Lieutenant Cadiz glanced up from her instrument panel. "Or a hell of a lot of time on their hands."

In addition to the station there were multiple ships around them, a vast range of designs and sizes from small pleasure craft to mile long transports and warships. The tumult of the war creeping into the galaxy may have brought this many ships here but in all likelihood this place would always have been hectic and busy.

"We have landing permission Captain, we'll be touching down in a minute or so."

"Alright Lieutenant, I'll get the others ready." He tapped her shoulder. "Try not to hit anything."

Devlin headed back into the cargo cabin behind the flight deck, in this instance configured for passenger transport. It was a long way from luxurious, or even comfortable for that matter, but it got them from point to point fast and in reasonable safety. The Artemisia was holding station a few hundred miles away just outside the station perimeter holding a neutral posture with her weapons on standby and fighter wings crewed and ready to drop. So far there had been no obvious hostile activity and traffic control seemed to be content with letting them land. They had even known who this Commander Shepard was.

Still, that was no reason to be reckless. While most ships in the area seemed too busy to notice one more ship among the throng the longer they lingered the more attention they were likely to draw, something he was not thrilled about.

Devlin was going to be representing the Seventh fleet while Admiral Brand continued with his primary duty of getting his forces back up to full readiness and locating a way home. This wasn't exactly what Devlin had expected, he was no explorer or diplomat, but neither was anyone else in the fleet. In the end he'd have to make it up as he went along and try not to start a war.

He hadn't been sent alone though, in the seat beside Devlin as he sat down and fastened his seatbealt was his escort, Major George Hayes of the UN Special Forces Command. He had been among the units deployed on the Enterprise alongside a battalion of Marines planning some boarding mission exercises when things had gone wrong. He had fair hair and sharp eyes with a thin beard and lined face, the look of a man with several lifetime's of experience crammed into his few years. He carried a sidearm and wore an olive green duty uniform finished with a yellow scarf at his neck which seemed to be in vogue with army units for some reason. Devlin couldn't really complain, his uniform also included a white scarf which frequently annoyed him.

Hayes wore several badges on his uniform including unit markings for a long range recon unit. That suggested he was a survival expert, the sort of man sent alone deep into enemy territory and expect to live for months while observing the movements of enemy forces before marking them for strikes. An extremely harsh and lonely career path.

Sat opposite however was probably the least expected person Devlin could imagine. While he represented Admiral Brand the Gamilan fleet had also decided to send someone, in this case though the fleet commander herself had elected to join them. Colonel Ilin Meredia, commanding officer of the Super Dreadnought Fenrir and the 21st Heavy Response Division of the Great Gamilas Imperial Navy looked every bit as flamboyant as her title suggested. She was tall and slim with tousled shoulder length blonde hair which looked rather messy and unkempt in a way, she wore the standard dark green and black uniform jacket of the Gamilas military but then began to drift away from regulations. She wore white trousers and tall black boots, she had a black cloak hung over her shoulders with a red interior lining and at her side hung both a long gold plated energy pistol and a sword. To top off and cement the frankly piratical look she wore yet another scarf in human style, in this case red, and crowned everything with an eyepatch worn over her left eye. Devlin noted she also had a long scar from brow to jaw on that left side passing under the patch and suggesting it wasn't just cosmetic.

She was a pirate. Or at least she fell into what a pirate should look like with swashbuckling clothing and weapons combined with a casual confident attitude. When Devlin had met her she had smiled constantly, joked with him and generally been highly enthusiastic and friendly, definitely not what he had expected of a fleet commander. Yet he'd also noted her attendant officers had been uncomfortable seeing her go, a hint that while she may have an oddly forthright personality she wasn't some sort of fop or fool, her staff did seem to genuinely respect her. Very curious.

Like Devlin Meredia had also brought an escort, a relatively short female Gamilan officer who was dressed in thankfully plain and unremarkable Gamilas gear. She had short red hair in more of a pixie cut and looked as hard and expressionless as Major Hayes. Devlin had no idea what her unit badges meant but based on the cold air surrounding her she knew her business.

"I am looking forward to this." Meredia beamed a wide smile. "Visiting new places like this, a huge alien construct never seen by Gamilan eyes. It's exciting."

"It'll make a good story, but I'd rather we just get it done and get home." Devlin answered. "Gatlantis forces are getting much too close for comfort, we need to be ready for when they move on Earth."

"We have time yet, the war is young, it isn't going anywhere." Meredia reassured him. "We should savour what we see today, it will never happen again. Even if we come back after Gatlantis is beaten we won't have this same moment of wonder, this same awe. Keep that feeling Captain, wonder makes us alive."

It was strange to hear that from a Gamilas fleet commander, especially one senior enough to be commanding a Dreadnought.

"Interesting outlook."

"You're wondering why an old warrior like me can still take joy in things after a career seeing war, death and destruction?" Meredia guessed. "It's because of those things I still feel joy at life, not in spite of them. To see how fleeting life is, how fickle and random death can be, you learn to appreciate everything."

She smiled wider.

"Plus I started out in the Explorer Divisions, my whole ambition was to push out the border between known and unknown, find new and interesting things. Wars tend to have a way of getting in the way of that but even so sometimes you still stumble on something fantastic."

"Like today?"

"Like today Captain."

She seemed likeable enough, but she was still a Gamilan, a member of the species that had killed two thirds of human kind. That wasn't ever going to change, Devlin would be polite because he had orders to be and because one day they'd make good meat shields against Gatlantis. But that was all. He noted the other Gamilas officer watching him, her eyes empty and cold reminding him that in the end the Gamilas Empire was a military expansionist nation. Maybe it had reformed and set that aside, maybe not, but there were still plenty of people in its ranks who had no problem killing millions of civilians. Devlin wasn't trusting or naïve enough to forget that and if one day he had to train the Artemisia's guns on a Gamilas fleet he'd do it. No matter how cheerful the enemy commander was.

The Seagull tilted and shifted course, the transport craft slowing and dropping down through an artificial gravity field with a mild moment of nausea. An instant later it touched down with a slight bump and began to power down.

"Here we are then." Meredia rubbed her hands together. "I will let you take the lead Captain."

"I can, but as senior officer here I thought you may wish to?"

"I'll observe, but it seems the people we will meet are human. They may not be the same humans you know but you should at least have something in common. It's logical you try to gain us an advantage through common experience."

Devlin had to admit as he undid his seatbelt that she made a good point.

"Alright then Colonel, I'll take the lead. We better go and see what's waiting for us."

Devlin stepped out onto the deck, a series of clean metal landing platforms most of which were occupied by small craft. Their arrival had apparently received little attention, the unknown transport just a small oddity quickly ignored in the growing crisis. Walking purposefully toward them were a trio of people in blue uniforms, two of them human and unremarkable, but the third was a tall spindly alien with a somewhat Avian appearance. He could hear Meredia laughing in gentle glee at the prospect of meeting an entirely new species.

"Welcome to the Citadel." The lead human greeted them with a harsh but not hostile voice. "I'm Commander Armando Bailey, head of Citadel Security. I'll take you up to see Commander Shepard in the diplomatic section. If you'll follow me we'll fast track you through."

That was the extent of their greeting. Both Bailey and his two escorts gave them a brief but systematic assessment to weigh them up, noting their uniforms, weapons and military bearing. They took a little longer as their gaze lingered on the Gamilans, the blue skinned people perhaps a rarity in this part of the galaxy. The group were lead away from the gathering crowd edging to get in through normal customs channels and taken instead through a security door and along to the local C-Sec office, a blue toned glass and steel structure which seemed to reflect most of the simple but functional architecture.

"I'm going to need you to surrender your weapons before we go further." Bailey turned to them matter of factly. "Only C-Sec carries after this point."

"No." The Gamilan bodyguard replied bluntly. "We have only your word for that."

"Then you can wait here." Bailey said with a huff having zero time for debate. "Law is the same for everyone."

"You ask my Colonel to surrender her weapons? Do you know what battles she has fought with them, how much blood, how much..."

"As you were Captain." Meredia took a step forward, a brief wave of her hand silencing her escort. "The Commander is right, we should not put ourselves above others."

"And if it's a trick?"

"If it's a trick the Fenrir will burn this place top to bottom, and I am sure nobody wishes to risk that."

Meredia confidently unclasped the twin belts holding her weapons and placed them down on the nearest table.

"We cannot proceed without trust." She stated simply. "Though I advise not meddling with them, the pistol fires anti-protons, the power pack will level everything in forty metres if mishandled."

"I guarantee we won't treat your property poorly." Bailey promised.

"If the Colonel wishes it I will comply."

The second Gamilan, Captain Henna Bless reluctantly followed suit. If the Gamilans were disarming then it would look churlish for fellow humans to argue the point so Devlin and Hayes also turned in their sidearms.

"Thank you." Bailey kept an even expression but sounded relieved the tension had been bypassed. "Do you have any ID's to scan?"

"No, just our dogtags." Devlin said.

"Having a problem with your Omnitools?"

"Our what's?"

Bailey looked at them with a question but decided not to ask it.

"You can just put your hand on that pad there, it'll scan your DNA and keep you in the station register while you are here."

"Fair enough."

"After that we'll go see Shepard."

It was a tight squeeze in the skycar for the five of them but any discomfort was quickly forgotten and replaced by wonder at the view passing them by outside. The dense cityscapes, industrial regions and habitation districts flashed by one after the other, each one duplicated on the other great arms of the station, each a starfield of light and movement. Hundreds of vehicles buzzed back and forth on their own errands and far below the tiny shapes of people could sometimes be seen, small specks against the station.

"This place is huge." Devlin peered out of the windows. "Did you build it?"

"Earth? Nah." Bailey chuckled. "Theory is the Protheans did tens of thousands of years ago, but who knows for sure. Some say it's far older."

"Who are the Protheans?"

"One of the older alien species, long extinct by now." Bailey answered. "Don't they teach that in school any more?"

"My school was a little different to most you'd find."

"Well they're long gone but left a lot of ruins and tech archives behind. The one we found on Mars kick started our Stellar age and expansion into the stars. Pretty handy."

"How many people live here?" Meredia asked.

"Thirteen million, it varies." Bailey kept it vague. "Lot of people just passing through, it's a major trade and business hub not to mention tourists. Though less of that these days, expecting a lot of refugees though."

"Must be hard work keeping order." Devlin considered, still captivated by the scenery as they moved toward the Presidium district.

"It is, we have the population of a decent sized city, lot of races, lot of cultures, it can be a minefield." Bailey nodded. "The location makes it good for smuggling and organised crime too, not many boring days in this job."

"And now you have a war to worry about."

"Looks like."

"We saw they hit Earth." Devlin softened his voice. "Any word?"

"Just that the fight is still going, we're not going to just roll over."

"Good."

"Latest news says they've hit Palaven hard too, The Turian fleet is giving them hell but couldn't stop them invading their homeworld."

"The Turians had the strongest fleet in the galaxy didn't they?" Meredia recalled some notes from the Extranet.

"That's right, didn't make much difference."

"Sounds like it's going to be a hell of a fight for everyone then." Devlin remarked.

Bailey swung the car round as it reached it's stop, the landing system putting them down neatly in a precise parking spot not far from the diplomatic section. He popped the canopy and led them out into the brightly lit interior the whole region beautifully landscaped with trees, gardens and lakes.

"Just up this way." He led them on. "It's a little busier here than usual but You'll find Commander Shepard in his office just here. You know him?"

"Only by name." Devlin commented. "He was recommended to us."

"Well he's a solid soldier and a good guy, just be aware he's got a hell of a lot on his plate right now."

"Got it."

"Alright, good luck with whatever you need. My office is just down here if you need more."

With a nod Bailey departed leaving the delegation standing outside Shepard's Spectre Office staring at the door.

"Let's see what this guy's all about then." Devlin raised up and tapped the intercom.

"Come in." A voice answered, the door unlocking and sliding open to reveal a fairly darkly lit room festooned with consoles, data terminals and further back weapons. Both Hayes and Bless gave it an approving look over, especially the assortment of unfamiliar but still recognisable guns. At the heart of the room was a single man with close cut dark hair, steely blue eyes and the hardened expression of someone who had seen more battles than most others could imagine.

"John Shepard." He extended his hand. "Commander in the Systems Alliance Fleet and Council Spectre."

"Matthew Devlin, Captain of the Earth Federation ship Artemisia." He took the hand in a solid grip. "This is Colonel Ilin Meredia and our back up Major George Hayes and Captain Henna Bless."

"Welcome." Shepard shook each hand in turn, pausing at the two blue skinned females. "Sorry, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone's skin turn shades of blue? Which colony are you from?"

"We're not Commander, we're a different species." Meredia smiled. "We come from a planet called Gamilas out in the Greater Magellanic cloud you call it. Beyond the edge of the galaxy about a hundred and fifty thousand light years away."

"I had no idea anyone could travel out that far, this is the first I've heard of this." Shepard frowned in mild suspicion. "When did you arrive here?"

"This morning." Meredia answered. "There is a lot we have to talk about if you are willing to hear it."

"Of course." Shepard seemed to have perked up. "Contact with a race from beyond the Galactic rim is incredible, especially if you have anything that could help us here. You must have seen the Reapers, heard about the war."

"We have." Devlin took over. "I've compiled a report on our situation, I think it'll be easier if you read it first and then we talk."

"I can do that."

"I understand you've had a rough couple of days and you must need rest, but this is something we'd like to move on with." Devlin handed over the pad.

"Don't worry, I can sleep when I'm dead."

Shepard read the entire thing three times just to be certain, his guests waiting patiently and quietly for him to get his mind around the impossible concepts.

"It took me a while to accept it too." Devlin offered helpfully. "I still don't understand it, I'm just going to say space magic."

"So you have an actual artificial planet? And that caused all this?"

"Yes, that's right."

"You can call it a lesson in not meddling in technology we don't understand." Meredia exhaled.

"And you have a fleet of ships with you?"

"We do." Devlin nodded. "But I can't give details, not this early into our meeting. Sorry Commander but you understand OpSec."

"Yeah, we haven't established real trust yet." Shepard nodded. "I don't know what to say, I can understand it is possible, and I haven't seen your race before," he nodded to the Gamilans. "But this is still hard to take in."

"Right there with you." Devlin related. "We don't plan to announce ourselves or draw attention, our goal is to get home before our own homeworld is invaded and possibly destroyed. Our situation is pretty similar to yours."

"With respect my Earth is already fighting for it's life." Shepard reminded.

"By now ours could be too." Devlin answered. "We need to get home but we don't know how long it will take. There's a chance that while we are stuck here we may come under attack by the Reapers."

"It seems they aren't picky about who they kill." Meredia added.

"If you have starships and the ability to create AI technology they'll come for you." Shepard confirmed. "You are targets too."

"That is why my commanding officer authorised us to make contact with your government." Devlin laid out. "We'd like as much data as you have on the Reapers so if they show up on Lyonesse we can give them a warm welcome."

"I have no objection sharing what we have, the Reapers are enemies of all of us." Shepard agreed. "Unfortunately what we have isn't much. We know their goals, their ideology and motives, we know a little about their tactics and strategy from where they have attacked already, but hard technical data on their ships, their numbers and deployments? We don't know."

"That bad?"

"That bad." Shepard exhaled. "This war is a few days old and we've already lost Earth and Arcturus, Palaven is collapsing, the Batarians are history. We have Reaper units spotted everywhere raiding key locations or scouting for targets and our response is anything but united."

"Sorry to hear that Commander."

A chime at the door suddenly interrupted them drawing Shepard's attention.

"I wasn't expecting anyone else. Give me a minute."

He stood and walked to the door, opening it to reveal one of the avian aliens with a tattooed face waiting for him. Turians if memory served. Shepard invited him in and began to speak quietly.

"This war isn't off to a good start." Meredia brought up while Shepard was busy. "They were caught by surprise, their enemy effectively eliminated their main command and military centres before they could mobilise."

"They must have had excellent intel to do that in the first hour or so." Devlin considered.

"Also it seems nobody has visited my region of space." Meredia mused. "There could be a Gamilas out here as there is an Earth."

"Could be, though I've never heard of any of these other aliens. Turians, Asari, Quarians."

"Nor have we, virtually all sentient life can trace its origins to the Akerians, hence our very similar DNA." Meredia nodded. "These aliens seem genuinely, well, alien."

With a hiss the door to the office opened again allowing the avian alien to depart, Shepard returning to stand with the other visitors, his face thoughtful.

"Hope that wasn't more bad news Commander?" Devlin asked.

"Maybe not." He looked to his guests. "That was the Turian Councillor, this morning I tried to convince the Council to press their governments on helping Earth and got nowhere. Now though he's asking me to go to Palaven and extract their leader, the Primarch of the Turian Hierarchy."

"Palaven is under attack though?"

"It is, this is going to be a high risk mission." Shepard confirmed. "But if I can get the Primarch out of there he'll owe Earth a favour, it's not much but it's the first step in creating an alliance."

"So you are going in?"

"I am." Shepard nodded. "And I want you to go with me."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Huh?"

"You brought a ship right? A warship from what I understand?"

"Well yes but we haven't faced these Reapers, and from what I hear they just annihilated half your navy and smashed through the home defences of the biggest military in the galaxy."

"All true, but I'm not asking you to fight." Shepard quickly clarified. "I'll be going in the Normandy but I could use some support just in case. There's no other ships available, you have the only warship in twenty sectors that isn't deployed or fighting for its life."

"I hate to say it Commander but this isn't our fight." Devlin responded. "If I could I'd help you out, but I have to consider my mission, my home. Risking the Artemisia could cost us a major asset critical in the war with Gatlantis."

"But you also have orders to deliver hard data on the Reapers, data we don't have right now. If you follow me to Palaven you'll get to see the Reapers up close, scan them, observe them first hand. You won't find any other way to get the information you need."

"He has a point." Meredia considered.

"Not just their ships but their ground units too." Shepard added. "Chances are my team will have to fight it's way to the target, if you had some support to offer, some combat specialists, I'd make sure they got home safe. At least as safe as any of us."

"You're asking me to put my ship and my people into harms way for your mission Commander."

"I'll be honest Captain, this is a tough assignment and I want to make sure I have every possible resource available to win. Right now you have a warship and trained soldiers available, there's no way I can just ignore that. This is a request, you can say no, you can back out, I'm not going to blackmail or pressure you. But I am asking for your help to give this mission a better chance of success and give my home an ally it absolutely needs."

Devlin narrowed his eyes before exhaling a sigh and chuckling.

"You know how to pitch a bloody terrible idea Commander."

"Made a career out of it." Shepard half smiled. "Are you in? You'll get what you need, I get what I need, and most importantly Earth and Palaven get something too."

"Fine." Devlin held out a hand. "I have orders to gather data, this will do it. But we're only there as observers and my orders are to withdraw if there is a threat to my command"

"Understood, you made the right choice." Shepard shook his hand again. "I'll set up a joint mission, when can you go?"

"Any time."

"Then give me two hours to pull my team together and make sure the Normandy has enough supplies. I'll contact you on this frequency."

He handed back the data pad with his contact details on.

"We'll be ready."

"I look forward to seeing what your people can do." Shepard smiled in anticipation. "Alternate universe or whatever we have a common enemy. I'll see you up there."


	5. 4a

-4-

Approaching Palaven

With a brief flash the Normandy transitioned into normal space gliding silently in the blackness a safe distance from the grinding battles happening closer to their target, ranks of Turian warships trying and mostly failing to stop Reaper reinforcements from joining the siege. Normally the Normandy would have been flagged by the sensor net on arrival but with the current catastrophe unfolding there was nobody on station to challenge them.

"Stealth systems looking good, thank the spirits." Joker exhaled in relief. "It is the Spirits right? That's who Turians pray to?"

"Correct." EDI affirmed.

"Hasn't helped them much so far." Shepard leaned over the pilot and peered out of the flight deck windows, the glowing yellow and orange wounds scarring Palaven hinting clearly at the apocalypse going on beneath them.

"I'm detecting significant fighting across the system." EDI informed. "The Turians are offering heavy resistance."

"At least it keeps this area of space contested enough for us to get through." Shepard straightened up. "Get us in closer Joker, nice and quiet."

"Heading for Menae." Joker brought the nose around to centre on the bleak moon sitting over Palaven. It too was under attack but apparently less so than Palaven itself.

"EDI, status of our backup?"

"The Artemisia should be standing off five light minutes away." She informed. "Shall I send the go signal?"

"Do it, update them on the safest route in and known Reaper positions."

"Sending tightband transmission, they'll receive it in five minutes from this mark."

"We'll meet them down there on Menae." Shepard turned aside. "She's all yours Joker."

"I wish."

Shepard quickly made his way across the CiC and to the turbolift dropping down to the armoury and shuttle bay. The Normandy had been modified a little after it had been taken into Alliance service bringing the cutting edge ship more in line with Alliance naval practices including some internal tweaks. Putting the armoury down here as the last stop before departure was one of them.

"Commander." The hefty form of James Vega welcomed him out of the lift. "Are we go to drop?"

"We are, mission is a go." Shepard nodded. "How's the team?"

"Colourful." Vega admitted. "Gotta say I haven't fought in a mixed unit like this before. Think they'll be okay?"

"They're professionals, they'll do their job."

He walked over to where the rest of his team were assembling, Liara T'Soni was easily recognisable in her white combat gear and for Shepard a known quantity. They'd seen plenty of action, most recently dealing with the Shadowbroker so he knew she was highly capable and completely loyal. The other two people arming up beside them were a more interesting question.

When Shepard had convinced the Artemisia to join them he had also managed to bring two specialists to the Normandy, the same two officers who had escorted Captain Devlin and Colonel Meredia. Both were stated as being veteran combat soldiers with plenty of experience under their belts who could handle themselves in a fight. While Shepard had prepared on the Citadel they had picked up some equipment from their vessel and reported to the Normandy for the short hop to Palaven. They were under Shepard's orders for this particular mission and seemed to have no issues with that.

Major Hayes was probably the most intimidating, he was wearing a massive suit of grey powered armour covered in thick armour plates with a fully enclosed life support system and a lot of wear and tear showing on its surface. The Gamilan officer Captain Bless was wearing a much lighter collection of blast plates along with a somewhat Teutonic looking helmet. Their equipment was unfamilar in design but the principles and capabilities matched what most militaries looked for. Hayes was a tank, heavily armoured and strong while Bless was more focused on mobility.

"Major, Captain." Shepard greeted them. "Do you have everything you need? Feel free to help yourself to the armoury."

"Thanks Commander but I think we're covered." Hayes opened a military marked chest and began extracting his weapons. "Energy rifle, RPG Launcher, spare grenades, should be fine."

"And you Captain?"

"I could use some extra grenades." She answered as she checked her carbine.

"Help yourself." Shepard approved. "Do you need any barrier upgrades?"

"We don't have any, that's not something we've figured out back home."

"Back home?" Vega asked.

"Long story, I'll fill you in when we get back." Shepard moved on. "We've got some spare packs, not as good as an integrated field but it should stop a few bullets."

He fished out some belts and webbing with a powerpack attached.

"Just put these on over your gear, should be fine for a quick rescue mission."

"So our mission is to grab the Turian Primarch and haul ass out of there?" Vega checked.

"That's it." Shepard nodded. "Our last intel had him here on Menae where the Turians are so far holding on."

"The defences here are exceptional, even the Reapers couldn't just overwhelm them." Liara shared. "Instead they have landed ground forces and are trying to win by attrition."

"Going to be hot down there." Shepard guessed. "Primarch Fedorian was last seen near the front, chances are we'll have to fight our way in and out."

"Anything on our expected opposition?" Hayes asked.

"Reaper Husks, genetically mutated victims turned into mindless soldiers." Liara answered. "We've identified the main types but we should expect others."

"But they all react the same way to gunfire and explosions?" Bless asked flatly.

"Oh I like this one." Vega grinned. "We're going to get on great."

"They'll go down eventually but they tend to absorb a lot of damage." Shepard stated. "They feel no pain, no mercy, no hesitation. You have to completely destroy them."

"No problem." Hayes checked his long rifle. "This thing doesn't leave much behind."

"What does if fire?" Vega asked.

"Mix of laser and plasma charges, you can vary the power but listening to the Commander I think I'll set it to full."

"So it doesn't have a kinetic component, it works on I guess heat?"

"Yeah."

"In that case it should be effective against barriers, probably do well against armour too." Liara informed. "Is your weapon the same?" She asked the Gamilan.

"More or less." She checked the carbine. "Less raw power but faster firing."

"Then I might end up relying on you two to handle any larger shielded targets we meet." Shepard planned. "Let's load up, we'll take the shuttle down and keep the Normandy at a safe distance."

"Captain, narrow band transmission received."

Devlin glanced over, several minutes of tension reaching boiling point.

"Are we go?"

"Affirmative sir." Lieutenant Makin decoded the message. "We have data on enemy locations and safe approach vectors."

She transferred the data to the main computer, a holographic image of the moon Menae materialising ahead of the Captain. It showed clusters of enemy activity and just outside orbit a large number of Turian ships forming a barrier to Reaper advance.

"With long range sensors still down this is the most accurate data we have, we'll have to act on it." Devlin altered the image to focus on the clear areas. "This looks like the best spot, close to a decent sized base but a lot of terrain. We can drop into this canyon here and stay out of the way."

"I should be able to put us into the sky above the canyon." Newman plotted. "We'll jump straight in, unless they know we're coming they won't have time to get a shot at us."

"What about the Turians?" Nagano asked. "They are expecting us right?"

"Their guy on the Citadel said so, Colonel Meredia was staying there to help coordinate things."

"And do some snooping around." Nagano guessed.

"Our orders were to collect data, not just on the Reapers but everyone else too. She can handle that bit while we have a great time over here."

"So she got the better end of the deal."

"No arguments there."

"Captain, jump coordinates set."

"Very well." Devlin centred himself on the task. "Let's go."

The jump was instant, the Artemisia exploding from nowhere in a shower of ice emerging at low altitude just over the surface of the moon at high speed. Newman at once pulled back on the controls and fired the landing thrusters, the warship shaking hard as he balanced the need to get into cover fast with the necessity of not ploughing into the ground.

The calculations turned out to be perfectly accurate, the battleship descending neatly into a deep canyon at the edge of a large mountain range and melting into the shadows briefly lit by the firing retro thrusters bleeding off velocity. She shut down engines and running lights, putting reactor and other systems on standby and going into full hiding.

"Settling down for silent running."

"We're clear." Nagano relaxed a little. "No change in enemy transmissions."

"Signal from the Turians sir, local outpost."Makin tapped her holographic controls.

"Let's have them."

With a crackle a Turian face flickered on the main screen, dirt streaked and alert.

"Earth ship, I'm Major Actrix, Relay Station Six commanding officer, we're built into the canyon right beside you."

"Apologies for dropping in unannounced Major, I'm Captain Devlin of the Artemisia, we're here to gather intel on Reaper capabilities and support the evacuation of Primarch Fedorian."

"Word came down Commander Shepard was due to show up, is he with you?"

"He's heading down elsewhere."

"Very good, may I have permission to come aboard? We'll work more efficiently if I can tie you into our network."

Devlin paused for a second and then nodded in agreement.

"Very well Major, I'll have one our Marines bring you aboard. See you shortly."

The Turian nodded curtly and ended the signal.

"Might be a gamble letting a totally unknown alien aboard." Nagano said what they were thinking. "I know we've had our immune system boosts but these guys could be anything."

"Directly linking to an unknown network is a risk but we have extensive firewalls." Makin reassured. "Our main computers are based on the IQ series artificial intelligence systems, if they're fast enough to beat our cyber defences before we can pull the plug they deserve the ship."

"Try to make sure they don't, I'd prefer not to walk home." Devlin remarked before exhaling. "But it won't be an issue, look at their planet."

They stared upwards through the bridge windows, high above Palaven hung traced with immense fires and clouds of grey smoke that must have been the size of entire countries. Nobody said it but every single one of them had seen that image before when the Gamilans had bombed Earth. They knew what the soldiers here felt with that constant reminder hanging over their heads.

"They want our help, they need it even if they are too prideful to admit it. They won't screw us over, not today. We'll be cautious but we also have a mission and gaining data from their network is the best option. Keep an eye on it Janet, but we'll take the chance."

The lift doors behind them opened allowing a scorched Turian to enter the steel and blue command deck. Actrix wore a blue and red uniform of combat armour that had seen heavy use along with a rifle slung on his back. In his hands he carried a portable terminal which he carried forward.

"Major, welcome aboard." Devlin stood. "If you'd like to join Lieutenant Makin forward we'll get the uplink ready."

"Right away." He unfolded the box activating an orange holographic control panel. "This is only a local link, info-sec means I can't tie you into the main network. Sorry Captain, even now we have to be careful."

"I understand fully." Devlin nodded, the Turian commanders no doubt sharing the caution of his own crew. "What does this give us?"

"I'm tying you into Garuda Base, it's the main fortress in this hemisphere about ten miles north."

"We saw it on the way in."

"And there we are." Actrix stood back. "You can download our combat logs, we also have Admiral Coronati's observations and the tactics he used during the initial attack. You know he killed nine of those bastards up there? Nine of them! Capital ships too!"

"From what we saw on Earth that's a hell of a thing." Devlin pulled up some of the notes, reviewing gun camera footage. He watched one of the Reaper warships picked apart by point blank dreadnought class firepower, massed salvoes breaking it's defences and punching holes through the hull. It was impressive, but the sheer firepower needed was daunting and promised to be hard to replicate.

"Mr Nagano, have the computer calculate enemy shield and hull strength based on this data."

"Yes sir."

"Major Actrix, what can you tell me about your situation here?"

"Mostly it's exactly as you see it." The Turian sighed painfully. "Palaven is under massive assault, our fleet was pushed back, we're holding this moon but it's getting harder every hour. If we hold here we can keep a foot in the door and make sure Palaven has at least one lifeline, but casualties are titanic."

"I'm sorry you're in this position Major, and that there's nothing much we can offer."

"We heard Earth took a major hit too, that your fleets lost hundreds of ships in minutes."

"That's about right, I'm afraid humanity here is even worse off than you are."

"Is your ship a new design? I don't recognise it?"

"Actually brand new, we were on our shake down cruise." Devlin half smiled. "It's a really long story, I'm not authorised to provide direct support while we're down here, however..." He glanced at Palaven hearing the echoes of his own home. "I can give some indirect fire support to your troops anything from high explosives to five hundred megaton rounds."

"That's a fairly precise reading of 'direct support' Captain." The Turian considered, his own training not really allowing such flexibility in interpreting orders.

"Provided they don't spot us down here I can take a few risks. Least I can do."

"We're trying to hold back the nukes, but if it comes to it we might have no choice." Actrix admitted. " Garuda base is one of our biggest supply dumps, we can keep half the navy supplied for an entire year with the materials we have here."

"Which I'm sure makes you a major target."

"Probably the main one after Menae command. Luckily the base is built under the mountain ranges around here and has extensive barriers alongside heavy ground to space weapons. Even the Reapers would take heavy losses fighting us from orbit so they are trying to swarm us from the ground."

He brought up a real time map of the area, Garuda base was a network of fortresses, bunkers and emplaced capital grade mass accelerators pointing skyward.

"You can see Reaper ground forces advancing from all directions, we've lost our links to friendly bases and Garuda is cut off, luckily we're well prepared for a siege." Actrix outlined. "So far we've slaughtered every attack, but with our supporting fortresses overrun it's only a matter of time before the Reapers send in warships to break us."

"I thought your defences could hold off a space assault?"

"They can, but the Reaper ships can walk in on the surface beneath the angle of our big guns. When that happens we're in trouble."

"What can you do?"

"We have some tricks, plus the fleet is on call, they won't let the Reapers just walk into Garuda. We'll hold." Actrix was confident. "But it'll cost us."

"Hell of a war Major." Devlin looked at the sensor reports, one of them showing a Reaper destroyer already trudging toward the base.

"Yes it is Captain, but we've all got our problems. Unfortunately I can't offer much help with yours, we have no contact with Fedorian, we know he's on the moon but that is all."

"In that case I suppose it's all up to Shepard. We'll standby here, if that Reaper to the south gets closer we can drop a few nukes on him, see how he likes it."

"I'll coordinate with General Rathin commanding Garuda, I'm sure he'll appreciate the fireworks."

"While we wait crunch those numbers Mr Nagano, if we have to go up one on one with a Reaper I want to know exactly where to hit it."

"Commander, sensors show the Artemisia just made planetfall." Joker called in. "She's gone to ground but is standing by for further orders."

"Copy that." Shepard acknowledged as the shuttle made its final approach rocking and jolting as it took evasive action. "Try to stay in point to point comms range with her, if it goes bad we might need an immediate extraction."

"Guess your friends made it on time." Vega remarked, running a few final checks on his weapons and gear. "All set for the party?"

"Can't wait." Bless activated her carbine. "Once we're on the ground we're weapons free right?"

"Right." Shepard loaded his own assault rifle. "If it isn't Turian or one of us, waste it."

There was a buzz on the intercom as their pilot called down.

"Coming in now, standby, the LZ is hot."

The team prepared themselves, rising from their seats and readying for the trial ahead. The shuttle engines whined and changed pitch as they began to brake the craft's descent and steady it for unloading. The passengers gathered by the door, once it touched down they'd need to get out and go as soon as possible.

"Standby."

The door slid open fast revealing the harsh moonscape outside, pale rock and dust with a negligible atmosphere above offering no clouds or weather between the surface and the infinite black. Fortunately most bases had Mass Fields containing enough air and providing sufficient local gravity for normal living conditions but it was still jarring to leap out onto what looked a lot like a bleak and airless rock.

They didn't have much time to dwell on the contrast, less than a hundred yards away a wave of husks was advancing on a Turian bunker, red tracer fire pounding into the formerly human wave of bodies gradually whittling them down. The sudden arrival of fresh meat however altered the husk's priorities and a cluster broke away from the main attack and accelerated for the shuttle.

The husks were horrific creatures, twisted mockeries of the human form, techno-zombies enslaved to the will of the Reapers. Their grey bodies were disfigured with mechanical components, enhancements to make them stronger and more resilient in battle. They had no weapons beyond their own limbs but most of the time that was enough, their main opponents being largely unarmed civilians. The true horror of the husk though, whatever the variant, was they were created from living sentient beings. This swarm of mindless bodies had once been people, human beings with lives and wishes and dreams. Now they just killed for the sake of their machine masters.

It was heart wrenching, but more than that it was infuriating, it awakened a pure anger within Shepard and those around him, not just revulsion but pity. He wasn't here merely to kill these monstrosities he was releasing them, setting them free. He didn't know what was going on in their brains or if they had any trace of human memories left, some echo of a lost life, in the end it didn't matter. This was more than war, more than duty. It was a mercy.

He jumped down to the rock, rifle already at his shoulder, targets already prioritised in his mind, every action precise, controlled, the absolute peak of efficiency. He did not waste energy or effort, as a soldier trained to the epitome of ability Shepard set the standard for what it was to be a war fighter.

His Avenger rifle chattered, short sharp reports of fire, quick bursts that slammed into the Husks loping toward him. It was mechanical, almost machine like, fire a burst, rip up a target, see it drop, move on. Whatever anger he had he let it fuel him but not dictate to him, tapped it as an energy source to keep the machine going. A burst of fire and move on, a burst of fire and move on.

Beside him he was aware of his squad disembarking and joining in, blasts from Vega's shotgun punctuated by the light buzz of Liara's Submachinegun. There was the occasional swirl of biotic power, a burst of gravity manipulation to throw or hammer the enemy, but mainly it was just gunfire.

He took special notice of his new squadmates though, the fluid motion and steady attack of Captain Bless and the more direct actions of Major Hayes. The Gamilan woman fired her carbine in long bursts, the green pulses punching chunks out of Husks, burning and biting deep into the dead meat. She apparently didn't need to reload much, the energy weapon having a hefty magazine capacity, but it didn't seem any more or less powerful than an Avenger rifle.

Hayes was different, his Nanbu Industries energy rifle fired much more powerful blasts but more slowly. It was slaved to his suit giving him great accuracy which helped offset the slower firing cycle. When the rifle hit, it hit hard, completely blasting apart Husks and dropping chunks of them over a wide area.

"Clear." Shepard called. "LZ secure, let's move up to the camp."

The Husks had been easy to dispose of but it was only a faint hint at the battles unfolding across the moon. As they advanced they found swathes of the surface discoloured by the pseudo blood used by the Reaper creations, the signature of a wave assault barely stopped. They were quickly waved into the nearest fortified camp, armed Turians peering down from tall metal walls ready for the next inevitable attack, tense and weary.

Within the outpost lines of Turian bodies lay near the walls of the camp both as a sign of respect and more practically to deprive the Reapers of raw materials, even the dead could be brought back as husks and turned on their former friends and allies. Husk bodies had just been shovelled aside and incinerated without ceremony. Pre-fab buildings and command posts were dotted within the camp alongside armouries and medical facilities, all had seen excessive use recently.

The Turian soldiers themselves were somewhat wary of the new arrivals, though they were far from hostile and in many cases relieved to see aliens fighting beside them even if briefly. Hayes and Bless received special notice with their unfamiliar armour and weapons.

"I'll go talk to the local Commander, try to find out where Primarch Fedorian is." Shepard was already moving. "Wait here, we're not nearly lucky enough for him to be sat around waiting for a ride."

The Commander made his way to the nearest command post leaving Hayes and Bless to examine the scene. As per their orders their integrated sensors were recording all they experienced and sending it to the Artemisia real time. Even if they didn't make it their reports would.

"Artemisia, ground team here, we've landed and met light resistance." Hayes checked in. "Standing by for the next phase of the mission."

"Copy that ground team." Comms officer Makin replied. "Be advised we are seeing heavy enemy activity in all sectors, stay alert out there."

"Roger that."

"You are within range of our missile systems, if required we can provide fire support. We'll be monitoring your sensor data, if you need us we can respond at once."

"Glad to hear Artemisia, ground team out for now."

Hayes switched the direct line off and opened his helmet visor, looking around with his own eyes and inhaling the dusty air.

"They look scared."

On the horizon the massive bulk of a Reaper capital ship was slowly walking through an artillery park, firing red beam weapons down at unseen targets and ignoring scattered return fire.

"They have good reason." Bless observed.

"The news said the Turian Navy managed to take a few of them down." He gestured at the immense insect like warship. "Not enough to stop them though."

Around them the base began to buzz, several Turians calling out to their colleagues and pointing backwards. A surge of energy ran through the base, an expectation that seemed to quickly capture the focus of the otherwise weary soldiers.

"Something happening?"

The sky suddenly turned to metal, the red and white hull of a Turian heavy cruiser enveloping the base, passing by just a few hundred metres above them close enough for the thrum of the engines to shake the ground like it was made of rubber.

The Turians raised a cheer as the warship cruised overhead, hefting their weapons and waving, convinced their voices could carry to the steel bird above. Maybe they did, the cruiser answering with a few blasts from its proximity siren, an act that drew even more cheers from the battered ground forces.

It passed overhead in moments, a swarm of fighters buzzing after it, staying in close formation as the warship vectored in on the Reaper warship stood on the horizon. Hayes and Bless followed the bulk of the Turian troops as they ran up the walls and ramparts of the makeshift fort for a better view of the ship as it prepared for battle.

"That doesn't look like a good idea." Hayes frowned despite the surrounding excitement. "Trying to take on one of those big bastards by itself."

"It's not alone, look." Bless pointed. "Two more ships coming in on the flanks, they're going to hit it simultaneously."

The Turian soldiers were yelling encouragement and punching the air, by now joined by their leaders and Shepard watching with far more grim trepidation.

They watched the Turian ships moving in unison, the fighters racing forward in a screen to sweep the path clear of any ground based weapons that could hinder the warships as they focused fully on their task. On the surface it looked an insurmountable mission, but when on the ground Reaper ships were more vulnerable and less heavily protected than space, their shields and mass fields reorientated to keep them upright and mobile. It was a small chance but it was there and the Turians had to try.

The warships approached from different angles, the coordination perfect, a clear testament to the training and skill of the Turian fleet. The Reaper saw them as they crested the horizon but was weighed down by gravity, it was slow, awkward compared to the lithe Turian cruisers.

As one the trio engaged slamming high speed projectiles into the rear and flanks of the Reaper ship. It wobbled and roared, the foghorn exultation like a cry of rage as it was hammered rapidly by the counter attack. The fighters joined in adding every extra ounce of power they had, aiding the rapid fire salvoes from the cruisers. More fire rose up from the ground, whatever surviving Turian artillery bases were left in the region added their strength, peppering the bulk of the enemy unit with explosions. Every unit gave it everything they had, a hail of fast moving metal relentless in it's savagery.

The Reaper wavered and stumbled under the assault, the sheer volume something it couldn't ignore. The Turian ships at once switched targets and fired on it's thick tentacle like legs further unbalancing the great machine causing it to stagger backwards and then topple. It fell like a massive tree, slowly pitching over with a wail and slamming into the ground in an explosion of dust that was felt even as far as the base.

The fall of the Reaper brought incredible cheers from the ground forces but the three warships weren't so quick to declare victory, they kept firing, kept pumping rounds into the dust cloud and the fallen Reaper, hitting it until they saw some real fireworks. The sheer reverberation of the main guns was like a kick in the chest even at this distance, the thud and crackle of each discharge a drumbeat to victory.

It was at that point the lead cruiser stopped dead in the air, it's journey arrested by a lance of red light, a low howl and buzz of energy that emerged from the grey dust and pierced the cruiser nose to tail. It simply fell from the sky instantly, dropping like a rock the short distance to the surface of Menae with a mighty crunch.

The other two ships advanced, launching everything they had, guns, missiles, decoys, anything to offer even the slightest chance with equal measures of fury and desperation. It didn't work, The Reaper rose from the cloud, emerging as a massive black shadow that sliced a second cruiser clean in two. The final ship accelerated hard, throwing itself forward and colliding with the Reaper, engulfing it in a massive flash of light and fire. For a long few moments everything was obscured until inevitably the fires died leaving the towering Reaper still there, scorched but otherwise unharmed.

The joy and exultations faded fast, the Turian soldiers withdrawing back into themselves, breaking up and going back to their duties dejected, hopeless. Their brief moment of expectation, of anticipation, the slim chance that they might just claw something back from the enemy burning their planet snatched away. It was brutal to see, a cruel joke of fate to those already burdened with a terrible reality.

"That's what we're up against." Shepard said simply. "Whoever called them Reapers wasn't exaggerated, it's not for dramatic effect, they will slaughter every space faring race in this galaxy unless we stop them."

"How will you stop them?" Hayes asked.

"Working on it." The Commander answered. "Meanwhile we've got orders, Fedorian's dead."

"Oh." Hayes wrinkled his brow. "What does that mean for us?"

"It means we find whoever is next in the chain of command and get them out of here instead."

"And if he's dead too?"

"Then we go down the list until we find someone still breathing." Shepard resolved. "Either way we're getting back home with the Primarch, whoever the hell that is right now."

"Understood Commander, lead the way." Hayes readied his weapon. "We didn't come here for the beaches."

"Confirmed Reaper destroyer emerging from behind the ridge." Nagano reported. "It's moving into range of Garuda base."

"Can it see us?"

"Negative, but if we open fire it'll be able to triangulate our position."

"We'll keep it as an option." Devlin promised. "Your call Major Actrix."

"Thank you Captain, but leave this one to us. Watch our core fortresses here."

Actrix highlighted a few points on the map, the Reaper slowly moving up toward the network of trenches and bunkers at the edge of the base. The ground units began to pull back, vehicles swiftly getting clear as infantry piled into the bunkers and underground tunnels linking the different parts of the base.

"Firing lanes clear." A Turian voice announced. "Activating initial response."

Ground based weapons began to fire, large gun turrets swinging around and slamming rounds into the shields of the enemy destroyer. It was an impressive display but the cannons weren't nearly strong enough, all they did was draw the monster's attention. Which was the point.

As it moved to engage the artillery two large emplacements opened a series of thick armoured doors, large cannons rising from within them. They weren't huge weapons, clearly not capital grade, but they looked much nastier than the standard guns dripping with cooling pipes and power cables.

"Secondary response armed, firing."

The new cannons spoke but instead of a lump of iron these fired bright beams, not of energy but of the same rapidly solidifying liquid metal that Reaper guns deployed. These shots hit hard, the Reaper staggering as it's shields quickly crumpled, it's electronic voice bellowing in rage and surprise.

"Hit it again."

The second salvo punched deep into the hull, tearing armour and shredding internals. A third salvo tore the upper quarter of the Reaper destroyer clean off, a fourth taking off two of it's legs collapsing it.

"Finish it."

The last salvo struck the centre of mass and ended the job, with a few plumes of fire the Reaper shut down, it's illuminated eyes and weapon banks not even given a chance to fire back, so swift and brutal was the barrage.

"Thanix cannons." Actrix proudly named the weapons. "Based on reverse engineered Reaper technology. Still quite rare but you can see they pack a hell of a punch."

"They did a good job."

"I think Earth has them too, but again pretty new and rare. Shepard's ship uses them."

"Very nice idea for a kinetic weapon." Nagano checked the analysis. "Lot of force behind it."

"Looks like we weren't the only one's watching." Makin cut in. "Garuda base is showing three enemy ships converging, estimate thirty minutes to perimeter."

Devlin checked the displays with a grimace.

"Big ones this time, capital class, not destroyers."

The sensor displays showed the illuminated holographic glow of two enemy vessels moving up to support a third one, all of them marching steadily toward the Turian fortress.

"That's going to be a challenge." Actrix checked the range and time. "We have a few more cannons in reserve but we were hoping to keep them for later."

"We can support you, but we can't take those ships on face to face, we need to get home with this intel." Devlin said sombrely. "Sorry Major, but I have my mission."

"I understand, and you have to escort the Primarch off world, it's a higher priority."

"We'll add our gunnery data to your network, I'm not sure how good our artillery will be against barriers but it's worth a try."

"Thank you Captain." Actrix took a steady breath. Guess we'll see how good those Thanix cannons really are."

"I wouldn't try the food." James Vega cautioned, Captain Bless looking up from the crate of Turian ration packs. "Turian biology is different, amino something, can't remember exactly, but their stuff doesn't work well with human biology."

He paused a moment.

"But I guess you ain't human exactly?"

"About ninety nine percent the same." The Gamilan stepped back. "Thanks for the tip."

"No problem."

Vega flexed his shoulders a little, the team were having a little downtime as Shepard checked the Turian data grids to figure out their next move. The base was also relatively quiet with no enemies currently nearby giving the defenders a brief window of peace to savour alongside their guests.

"So." Vega flexed his shoulders again and casually stood beside the blue skinned woman, or at least as casually as he could in combat armour that with have fitted a bear. "Were you a colony or something?"

"No, but it seems we had a common ancestor with humans." She answered. "Ancient aliens meddling in the development of life on various worlds."

"Huh."

Bless was quite attractive under the armour, strong and athletic which admittedly he liked. Vega appreciated someone who could give him a bit of competition.

"Seen much action?"

"Fifteen years active duty, four full scale planetary invasions, sixty one raids, eighteen boarding actions, twenty two tactical orbital drops and one survivor sweep."

"Survivor sweep?"

"Heading down to a planet after a full scale bombardment to look for survivors."

"Did you manage to rescue anybody?" Vega asked.

"Rescue?" Bless looked at him blankly. "We didn't go down there to save them, we went to finish them."

Vega didn't really have a follow up. She took another look at the crate of Turian rations, nodded her thanks again, then moved away to survey other portions of the base.

"She isn't just saying that." Major Hayes quietly addressed. "The Gamilan Empire was as close as you can get to space Nazis. They have a lot of blood on their hands, entire species exterminated, worlds nuked flat and then terraformed to become suitable colonies for the Great Empire."

"When was this?" Vega grimaced. "If someone was nuking planets we should have heard."

"Commander Shepard will have to clear you for the briefing, it's a long story."

"I keep hearing that when I ask anything about you two." He glared accusingly. "What's your secret? Have you shot any survivors too?"

"Yes." Hayes said simply. "The place I came from, what we went through is a lot like what your home is going through right now and you like to think people will band together to unite against an existential threat, survival and all that. Doesn't always happen that way."

"When we get back I'm going to expect some straight answers."

"Better make sure we get back then." Hayes found a grin. "So this Turian food is no good?"

Before he could answer their conversation was interrupted by Shepard returning from his consultation. Alongside him was another Turian, this one wearing blue armour and some form of electronic sight over one eye.

"We've got a lead." Shepard announced. "This is Garrus Vakarian, old friend of mine and an excellent soldier. He'll be coming with us."

"Garrus." Liara smiled. "Good to see you in one piece."

"Good to be in one piece." He answered back with a mild chuckle.

"This is Lieutenant Vega, Major Hayes and Captain Bless." He pointed out.

"Good to meet you." Garrus nodded, dwelling on the last two. "Some different looking gear you have there, some sort of prototypes?"

"Something like that." Shepard interrupted. "I'll fill you in later, for now what matters is they can pull their weight in a fight."

"Good enough for me." Garrus accepted. "We'll need to move across country, air travel is too risky and there aren't any crawlers. We're looking for a man called Adrien Victus, he's a General commanding a sector North of here."

"Any good?" Vega asked.

"As a General? Yes." Garrus confirmed. "Well liked by his troops, bold, very clever, but unorthodox which is probably why he was out here instead of High Command. Guess it saved him."

"Think he'll help us?" Shepard asked the most pertinent point.

"I don't know, but he is a man of honour. If it was in his power I think he would be open to it, but it depends on what power he has."

"We won't know anything standing around here." Shepard resolved. "Can you get us to his location Garrus?"

"I was there this morning, but the whole region is swarming with husks now."

"That's why we have guns." Vega pointed out. "Let's move it."

"Sounds like a plan." The Commander agreed. "Okay team, we..."

"Commander!" A voice suddenly buzzed through his commlink. "Commander, do you read?"

"Joker?" He responded with a frown. "Little busy down here Joker, what is it?"

"We've got trouble with the Normandy, power surges, systems going haywire, I'm locked out of the main computer and can't do a damn thing!"

"That's not good." Liara shared. "We can't leave them helpless up there with Reapers around. I can go help, get them back online."

"Go ahead." Shepard approved. "We have the Artemisia to take over with air support, fix my ship."

"As good as done."

Liara quickly departed, the shuttle that brought them down still on standby to take them back.

"Certainly a lot more confident these days." Garrus observed as the Asari scientist disappeared. "Who would have guessed becoming a galactic spymaster would have boosted someone like that?"

"Still hard to believe." Shepard nodded. "Come on, we've got a fight on our hands."

"Same as always." Garrus acknowledged sardonically. "Right beside you."

"Message from ground team, Normandy is out of action." Makin pressed the earpiece for a clearer message. "Some sort of computer malfunction, we're being asked to take over as primary support."

"Acknowledge and confirm." Devlin ordered. "We'll continue maintain our position for now."

"Sensors show multiple Reaper capital ships nearby." Nagano added. "If we have to break cover we're probably going to draw a lot of attention."

"Better make sure we're quick then, familiar enough with the controls to dodge a fleet of billion year old genocidal space fleas Mr Newman?"

"Yes sir, but I'd be happier if we took a few shots on the way out."

"It may come to it, but we are still a recce mission, avoid heavy combat if possible remember?"

"Yes sir."

The question was whether it was in fact possible. There were now seven Reaper capital ships in the immediate area with three advancing on Garuda base, one near Shepard's location but thankfully oblivious to his presence, and three more scattered around systematically scouring firebases and depots off the map.

"Computer analysis suggests our weapons should pass through their barriers." Nagano remarked as he weighed options. "The issue then is these vessels are dozens of times more massive than us with heavy armour and no obvious weak points. Even without barriers our guns can only do so much damage at once, all that time we'll be taking return fire and our shields are untested against a weapon like this. I can't tell if we'll survive more than a few hits."

"Direct intervention would also tip off the Reapers to our existence." Devlin mused. "These Reapers have good intel, they have infiltrated the big powers and have detailed information on them. We're an anomaly, a potentially very dangerous one. I wouldn't want them hunting us down when the rest of our fleet is still heavily damaged and unable to effectively defend itself."

"I can see your position Captain." Major Actrix sympathised. "You're worried about them tracing you back to some sort of secret refuge?"

"More or less." Devlin nodded. "It could wipe out the last of a species and perhaps give the Reapers a doorway to attack our home also."

"I thought they already were? Earth territory is being hit hard too."

"Long story."

The sensors showed Garuda base opening up with long range fire, ballistic shots and missiles rising and falling toward the advancing Reaper warships. Most hit, plinking off the barriers with flares of light and rippling energy.

"They've started." Nagano said unnecessarily. "No damage to Reaper units."

"We'll put our faith in the Thanix cannons, those are the only weapons that give us a chance." The Turian liaison tried to sound more confident than he felt.

"And if they don't work?"

"We have enough nukes to take them down with us." Actrix resolved. "Even if we lose we'll at least draw enemy blood, those three ships won't leave this moon."

"Three ships out of seventy something on Menae, forty above us, two thousand plus on Palaven itself..." Devlin tailed off. "No, I understand Major, three ships is an incredible victory. The last war I fought killing a single enemy was almost impossible too. Any victory is a great achievement to be proud of."

"I'd rather it didn't go that far, but this is our war." Actrix straightened. "And if none of us make it off this moon alive we will at least do our duty to the end."

Devlin watched the sensor display showing the Reapers advancing, shrugging off gunfire just like the Gamilan ships had done when the UN Fleet had faced them. It was the same, and like Devlin's old comrades the Turians had already resigned themselves to defeat. Even so they made their stand and fought back without hesitation or pause in the face of death itself.

"Just like we had to."

Menae was as harsh as it had looked from a distance, cracked valleys and jagged rock formations that looked as menacing and dangerous as the enemy. Some areas had been levelled for military usage, a few paths linked back and forth through the terrain, but here the landscape was mostly untouched.

"This is the back way." Garrus helpfully pointed out. "Shouldn't be as much Reaper activity here, they're focused on the highways and transit shuttles."

"Trying to cut lines of communication?" Vega reasoned.

"Yeah, divide and conquer. They can't just overwhelm us so they're making it a siege." Garrus grinned. "Bastards underestimated us."

"How's your military doing?" Shepard asked.

"Take a look at Palaven." Garrus tilted his head toward the fire wracked planet high above. "That should tell you all you need to know."

"That bad huh?" Grunted Vega. "By now Earth is gonna look like that."

"Which is why we need to start pulling together." Shepard interjected.

"No arguments from me." Garrus agreed. "But getting anything diverted to other fronts when this is happening right here is going to need a miracle."

"Miracles are our business."

"No shit." Vega broke a laugh. "You already came back from the dead, last guy who managed that had a pretty good line in miracles too."

"I'm not exactly the son of God."

"I dunno." Garrus chipped in. "Have you met his mother?"

"Contact front!" Bless called out harshly undercutting their developing banter. "Husks, inbound!"

"I thought this was the quiet route?" Vega checked the thermal clip on his shotgun and took point.

"Compared to everywhere else this is quiet." Garrus clambered up a few feet to higher ground. "Got eyes on thirty plus I'd say, husks and cannibals, nothing heavy."

"We're not going around." Shepard determined. "Lock and load, we'll break through and reach Victus before they know what hit them."

The team swiftly aligned itself in the grey rocky confines, the husks alerted to them and by now loping over the broken ground on Menae, an ungainly and unbalanced stumble picking up speed as they sighted prey. Hayes and Vega took the lead, between Vega's sheer mass and Hayes' heavy armour they provided an impenetrable barrier for Shepard and Bless to shelter behind and rain automatic fire on the enemy. Behind them Garrus flitted left and right seeking an advantageous firing point for a snap shot before following the advance.

"We don't stop for anything." Shepard reminded. "Make a path!"

"The Garuda outer perimeter is breached." Nagano grimly observed the computer projected display ahead of his station. The trio of red illuminated Reaper Capital ships were approaching from different directions marching inexorably toward the heart of the base and its space defence batteries.

"Thanix cannons locking on." Makin relayed. "Firing."

A trio of bright blue beams intersected on one of the Reapers, the blue energy splashing across the shields like a fountain. Light and metal fragments spun away and sparkled in the harsh light of the moon impacting the grey sands around the mechanical beast. It slowed a little but did not falter, the shields withstanding the onslaught until the guns ceased firing.

"No damage to enemy unit."

"Can you hit it again?" Devlin glanced at Actrix.

"Takes a few moments for the guns to cool down."

Neither of them said it but both knew the base didn't have a few moments.

"Lead Reaper is returning fire."

With apparent ease the warmachine sliced a red beam across the three operational Thanix turrets one after the other easily cutting through the barriers and armour. All three exploded violently throwing thousands of tons of metal and rock across the landscape leaving behind them tall pillars of belching black smoke.

"That's all." Actrix raised a finger to his ear for a clearer message. "They are initiating the evacuation. Front line units will hold as long as they can while we evacuate the technical staff."

"Then what?"

"Then we nuke the entire region."

"And your rearguard?" Devlin knew the answer.

"It will be better than becoming Husks." Was all Actrix could bring himself to say.

"How many?"

"Thirty thousand and there is no guarantee they'll hold. The big Reapers might not care for ground troops but they are being followed by vast numbers of husks. Once we start falling back they'll go all out to rout us."

"It's going to be a slaughter." Nagano reasoned. "The big Reapers are already destroying strongpoints."

The sensor graphics confirmed it, the walking warships cutting into the ground at their feet, a steady pattern of fire slicing through bunkers and forward bases, a series of flashes and fires that represented hundreds of deaths. They could see return fire from artillery, tanks, missile launchers and the occasional strike fighter all of which was utterly useless.

"Estimate six minutes until Reapers breach the inner defence line." Nagano reasoned. "Turian resistance ineffective."

Resistance Ineffective. Devlin knew those words well, they had been the footnote of virtually every battle he had fought in the Gamilas wars. Watching the enemy fleet shrug off nuclear strikes, seeing energy weapons scattered by their hull armour, witnessing allied vessels cored by return fire as if they were made of wax. Resistance Ineffective, continue fighting. What choice did they have?

The Turians were in the same position, they had no chance of victory yet to retreat was to allow the extermination of their species. To stop fighting was to surrender to death and allow their corpses to become weapons of the enemy.

It was the same desperate courage he had experienced with the rest of the United Nations fleet, the same struggle against the inevitable. He wasn't watching this with detachment, no normal person could see this and not feel despair at the hopelessness, but for the people on that bridge it was more than an echo of despair, they had fought this battle, lived this war, and by a miracle they had survived when billions had not.

Earth had been saved by a miracle, by intervention from a power far greater than them. What miracle did the Turians have? Or the humans here, or any of the races? What great power could help them? Who had the strength to do for them what Iscandar had done for Earth?

The Turians needed a miracle. Maybe, just maybe, they were about to get one.

"I'm not going to sit here and watch tens of thousands of brave soldiers die when we have an operational warship and an enemy on our scopes." Devlin made a choice. It was a dangerous choice, a damn dangerous one that was going to expose his ship, his crew and probably the rest of his fleet to the galaxy at large. They had wanted to keep a low profile until they had more data but Devlin wasn't about to let so many good people die when he had the means to stop it.

"The Admiral might have words for us when we get back." Nagano cautioned. "I'm all for helping these people but is it worth the risk? Do we want a few hundred of these Reaper ships potentially showing up at the refugee planet?"

"If Iscandar had intervened in our war earlier how many people might be alive today?" Devlin posed the simple question. "How many billions of people on Earth might have made it? Friends, family, comrades in arms? If we have the power to stop other good people from going through what we did shouldn't we at least try?"

There was only one answer, from one crew of survivors to their brothers and sisters in a losing battle. Give them a miracle.

"Resistance Ineffective my arse." Devlin scoffed. "Sound action stations."


	6. 4b

*

With the order the tension was lifted, the entire ship and crew uncoiling. They were about to head into danger against an unknown and terrible foe but at least they had a direction, a path to follow, a duty to fulfil. Standing by and watching a massacre wasn't why they had joined the Navy, it wasn't why they wore the blue and grey uniforms of the Earth Federation. It was an unknown alien world impossibly far from home but this was a battle worth fighting.

The alarms sounded moving the ship from second degree readiness up to full battle stations. The crew took their final positions, strapping themselves into chairs or standing by at their damage control and repair stations. Despite the sheer size of the Andromeda class the high level of automation left her with a fairly small crew, unlike most ships she wasn't the bustle of activity one expected before battle. If anything she was eerily still under the blaring signals.

"All departments report closed up for action." Nagano reported. "We're at full combat readiness."

"Engine room, bridge, I'll be needing full power Ben, what's our status?"

"All in the green Captain." The Engineer replied. "Engines and reactors connected and ready on your command."

"Keep an eye on our systems, this is a fact finding mission after all." Devlin smiled. "And our first combat deployment, hopefully nothing important will break."

Beside him Major Actrix blinked.

"Did you say your first combat mission?"

"This is the Artemisia's first official cruise, she's been in commission for, what is it Kenji, two days now?"

"Three."

"Three." Devlin corrected himself. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Right." Actrix tried to sound calm. "We're taking on three Reapers in a three day old ship. I'm guessing this is it's first battle?"

"First time we've run all her combat systems simultaneously too. But don't worry, it'll be fine. Everything will be fine." Devlin reassured. "I'm sure being flung across dimensions had no significant effect at all."

"Right. What?"

"You'll want to fasten that seatbelt Major, this is going to be a bit bumpy."

"Helm ready Captain." Newman cut in mercifully saving Actrix from dwelling on the new facts.

"I want you to keep us low Bruce, use the mountains and terrain for cover." Devlin laid out. "Keep us out of their line of fire for as long as possible, get us in close so we can unload on them at point blank range."

"Aye sir, just take a few moments."

"Janet, warn Shepard we're on the move."

"Yes sir, looks like he's got trouble of his own at the minute." The Comms officer noted. "Leaving voicemail on his omnitool."

"Voicemail." The Captain chuckled. "Major Actrix, better contact your people, tell them we're on our way in at low level, hold off the nukes and for the love of everything don't let them blow us out of the sky on our way in."

"Just be embarrassing if we get shot down by the guys we're trying to help out." Nagano agreed.

"Hell of a way to end her first battle." Devlin tapped the console ahead of him. "I reckon our girl has plenty of fight in her, those monsters aren't going to know what hit them."

"Course plotted Captain." Newman called back. "We're ready."

"Five minutes until the Turians are overrun." Nagano added.

"I've cleared our approach with General Rathin at Garuda." Actrix contributed. "He can give us four minutes."

"Four minutes to do the impossible." Devlin leaned forward, setting his mind to the task at hand, settling back into the role of a warrior. It had been a few years since he had last seen action and it had been hell back then. At least this time he was commanding the most powerful weapon of war mankind had ever constructed.

"Let's make it happen. Take us up and bring us in right beside those big bastards."

The Battleship stirred from its slumber, thrusters engaging on its lower surface to raise the ship upwards slowly at first, the leviathan stretching and preparing. The nearby Turian troops paused to watch the blue beast rise out of the shadows of the canyon it had concealed itself within and break out into cold daylight, the rays of the distant sun glimmering on the still mostly pristine hull.

"Reactor answers full power, bringing main engines on line."

With a growl the wave engine kicked in coughing orange fire into the artificial atmosphere followed moments later by the four secondary engines arranged around it. They delivered formidable thrust but would need to be used carefully at such a low altitude lest the entire ship pancake into a mountain range. Or perhaps smash clean through it, nobody was exactly sure how strong these brand new super battleships were.

The Artemisia inched forward gradually picking up speed as she ascended from the canyon and stretched her legs finding her pace. The big engines began their work in earnest now driving the ship across the sky at a steady altitude of just a few dozen meters barely allowing the lower sensor mast enough clearance to avoid carving into the moon's surface. They were watched by the local troops with great curiosity but not much faith, the new design of ship too small to make much of a difference. Just more meat for the Reapers.

"We're moving, estimate one minute until contact." Newman confirmed. "Helm and propulsion fully operational."

"Good to hear. Mr Nagano activate shields and standby main guns."

"Coming online." The First Officer tapped a few controls. "Sir, should we deploy fighters?"

"No time and we're too close to the ground." Devlin shook his head. "We'll handle this personally."

"Aye sir. Shield status green, main shock cannons charged and ready."

The Captain watched the tactical display showing a map of the area, their ship on one side, the Reaper on the other, and a range of mountains between them. They were fast coming up to a gap in the terrain which would give them a clean shot at their target.

"Enemy isn't altering course or mission." Makin observed. "Either it hasn't seen us or doesn't care."

"Fine by me." Devlin kept his vision fixed on the display. "Garuda base is ringed by mountains, keep us on the outside firing inward."

"Yes sir." Newman acknowledged making a few small helm adjustments, the computer doing most of the work.

"We'll use the terrain to our advantage."

The Artemisia swept over several units of Turian troops forcing them to duck as the engine blast shook their vehicles and kicked up grey particles from the ground. She held steady fast approaching the gap in the mountains.

"This is it Kenji, align the guns and open fire as soon as the sights clear."

Newman brought the ship in close to the mountains as they raced past, the dots of Turian bunkers and vehicles whipping by as the Artemisia held course. Within just a few more seconds the moment arrived, the great battleship crossing a gap in the mountain range giving her a clear view into Garuda base and the first of the Reapers. It was huge, a towering monster dominating the flat terrain around the base, massive legs slowly raising and crashing down as it butchered the remaining defenders with contemptuous ease. So confident was it that the monster didn't even turn to face the battleship as it moved into clear air.

"Target in sight! Center of mass locked!" Nagano called the shot, the forward triple turrets swiftly rotating and lining up, the targeting displays flashing up red circles around the core of the Reaper followed by a long electronic tone. "Firing!"

The Artemisia's guns spoke in anger for the first time, each triple turret blasting a trio of blinding blue beams out toward the massive enemy vessel. They couldn't miss such an easy target and sure enough struck true, the energy beams passing clean through the enemy kinetic barriers and ploughing through the hull. The result was spectacular, the antimatter cored beams simply drilling clean through the Reaper's hull and exploding through the far side in massive jets of flame that lit up the entire region. The Reaper bellowed in what may have been anger, or pain, or even fear as the force of the hit made it stagger.

"Direct hit! Enemy is taking damage!"

"It's still mobile!" Makin read the sensors. "And it looks pissed!"

"Hit it again!" Devlin demanded. "And keep hitting it!"

The Artemisia lined up more salvoes, the positron cannons kicking back in recoil as they threw more gravity sheathed antimatter downrange in rays of light. Each struck with titanic force reacting violently with the armour and hull of the Reaper enveloping its flanks in flames, blasting clean through, tearing massive chunks from the beleaguered beast. It's foghorn voice bellowed but to no avail, the Artemisia was in no mood to show mercy to purveyors of genocide.

She continued to pour on fire until at last with nearly half its mass stripped away the Reaper slumped, it's legs giving way and dropping the burning molten mess of its remaining body into the dirt.

"Scratch one!" Nagano beamed. "First blood to Arti!"

"Two to go, stay focused." Devlin reminded. "Back on course Bruce."

"Aye sir, shifting course and staying close to the mountains."

"The Reapers are too spread out to help each other, we'll use it against them." The Captain mused. "Bastards take a lot of killing."

"Computer is processing that sir, standby." Makin advised, the illuminated pedestals containing the brain of the Artemisia glowing as it assimilated every scrap of battle data.

"You killed it."

Major Actrix was just staring at the displays around Devlin.

"You tore it to pieces."

"I was hoping the shock cannons would make a good impression, they didn't disappoint."

"You killed a Reaper alone." The Major was having a hard time reconciling what he had seen with what he believed. "It took a full fleet of our dreadnoughts..."

"Better hope we can make it two more." Devlin interrupted. "They'll be ready for us this time, better brace yourself we're going to be taking return fire."

The Turian gripped his chair tighter, still virtually speechless from what he had seen. A Reaper reduced to molten slag by this single ship. How had the human alliance acquired such a weapon?

"Captain." Makin drew attention. "The computer has analysed the enemy ship, it suggests ignoring the centre of mass and targeting the lower hull where the legs meet the body. The thorax if you will."

"Make it happen Kenji."

"Aye sir." Nagano adjust the targeting parameters. "Coming up on next target."

"Next gap in the mountains in ten seconds." Newman informed. "This one is a bit more ragged."

"Manoeuvre as you see fit." Devlin allowed. "Main guns fire at will."

They broke out from cover again but this time the Reaper was more distant and was ready to fight them. It had learned from the mistakes of it's brother and immediately opened fire, two crackling red beams of metal surrounded by energy slammed into the side of the Artemesia as soon as she revealed herself violently shoving the vessel sidewise and flaring the shields in static blue light. The battleship also fired but an instant too slowly, the Reaper thanix beams struck first throwing off the Artemisia's aim. Two shots missed entirely, the remaining two punching through the upper parts of the Reaper with plumes of flame but no crippling damage.

"We missed! Enemy attack threw off our aim!"

"Compensate and return fire! Shields?"

"Holding!" Makin called. "We can absorb the energy but that physical impact loosened my fillings!"

The Artemisia fired again, this time on target carving into the Reaper. It blared out it's anger and fired back with it's own weapons, chasing the battleship as it raced across the moonscape.

"Mountain!" Newman called turning the helm hard over, dodging behind a sudden rise in the terrain. The Reaper beams followed, ripping across the near side of the rock formation in a shower of stones and debris as the Artemisia ducked behind.

She burst out from cover again and unloaded a full series of salvoes, this time all on target striking the lower hull of the Reaper, the beams connecting with its glowing eyes and shearing off it's legs. The warmachine stumbled and fell sidewise toppling like a massive tree and crunching into the rocky ground.

"That's two, where's number three?"

"It should be right..." Makin paused, eyes suddenly widening. "It's above us! Collision course!"

"Evasive action! Fire as you can!"

The Third Reaper had witnessed the failures of it's two comrades and had decided that going on the offensive was a prudent decision. Instead of waiting to be picked off it had made its move and closed on the battleship while she was distracted, keeping low and rising over the mountain range at the last moment with remarkable stealth for such a gigantic object.

It loomed over the Artemisia and dived downwards firing both main Thanix beams on the way. It had noticed the unknown ship had stronger than expected shields so instead planned to crush it like a bug underneath it's full mass. Not a bad plan.

But the Artemisia was no slouch, her computer controlled systems didn't even wait for the order to take evasive action, it calculated and predicted the command faster than a human brain could act and immediately engaged the flank thrusters shoving the warship hard to the left.

She dodged just in time, clearing the Reaper by just a few meters as the massive legs crashed down and flexed under the metal monster, the thunderous impact throwing up a hurricane wall of grey sand and detritus that obscured the entire area save for the red glow of the Reaper's eyes. The wall of dust held for a heartbeat before it was suddenly whipped away by a full broadside of bright blue positron beams unleashed at point blank range, the muzzle blasts clearing the sky revealing the Artemisia in all her fury.

The Reaper was physically lifted off the ground by the hit, raised up and thrown back like a boxer taking an uppercut to the chin. The beams passed through the metal thorax and delved deep into its interior structure eviscerating the machine and blasting the top off the Reaper in a sheet of flame carrying most of its insides with it.

The hollowed out shell crashed backwards down against the mountain range sliding down a few hundred meters until it came to a smoking ruined rest.

"That's three." Nagano exhaled. "Got a little close there for a second."

"We're not done yet, reports said there were enemy ground forces massing." Devlin highlighted a point on the map. "Four hundred thousand plus husks."

"I have them, range three hundred klicks."

"Arm plasma missiles, two should do it." Devlin ordered. "Fire when ready."

Nagano tapped a few commands then released the weapons, a pair of doors amidships opening to release a duo of white missiles. They were quite moderate by the standards of the Andromeda class, light anti ship warheads designed to focus a jet of superheated plasma through an opponents hull. This time though instead of a focused blast they were set for a general area explosion. They arced over on two white smoke trails before detonating in a blinding flash a hundred metres above their targets incinerating everything in the immediate area before unleashing a wave of fire and pressure to clear out most of the other husks.

"Still a lot of enemies out there but hopefully the Turian ground pounders can finish up the rest now we've thinned them out." Devlin nodded in satisfaction. "That alright for you Major Actrix? Good day's work eh?"

"How did you do that?" The Turian officer asked in wide eyed wonder. "We had no idea Earth had weapons like this."

"We don't, or at least not the people you know. We're human but not from Earth, Commander Shepard will be briefing your Primarch on the full story."

"I don't understand any of this, how you beat those Reapers, how you saved the base, but it doesn't matter." Actrix raised his chin. "Thank you Captain, you risked your ship and crew for my comrades. For a human commander to do this for Turians, well it's going to change the way a lot of us see your kind."

"I don't know much about your people Major, but I can see you are brave and you are fighting for a just cause. How could I ignore that?" Devlin spoke sincerely. "I'll be judged for what I have done Major, not just by the Turians and my own Commanding Officer, but also by my friends from years past who fought this same battle but never made it back. How could I face my old friends and comrades when my last day comes if I had turned my back on this fight?"

"You don't have to explain that to a Turian Captain, a soldier's honour and duty to those who have gone before is a part of us all. But thank you all the same. We're not going to forget this."

"Captain, I have General Rathin on a local channel." Makin broke in. "He's saying Menae command reports multiple Reapers are on the move, thirty plus, converging on this location."

"Something we said?" Nagano raised an eyebrow.

"Guess we made a big first impression." Devlin sighed. "It's not over yet then."

"First wave inbound, reading six capital class and four destroyers."

"We'll meet them head on, takes us up Mr Newman, combat speed."

"Yes sir."

"Mr Nagano, does the computer have sufficient data to pick out weakpoints in the enemy?"

"I believe so sir, focusing fire on the thorax type hull structure is the best location. Looks like its main weapons, sensors and motive components are there."

"Let's try and be precise, we don't need full power salvoes each time, it's overkill, switch to rapid fire mode and have the computer saturate targets."

"Firing solution locked in, auto targeting will take it from here." Nagano checked the settings. "We just prioritise targets and the computer does the rest."

"Well we wanted to test the Arti, careful what you wish for." Devlin skimmed the data. "Let's get to it, keep us moving, don't let them box us in, defeat them in detail. If we can take out every Reaper on this moon Shepard is going to love us."

The Husks were simple to defeat but persistent, they didn't care for casualties, didn't lose their nerve or falter in the face of stiff resistance. Even when they had been torn apart by gunfire if they could still move they would try to press the attack. Shepard hated them.

He dropped three more in bursts of purple ichor, bullets pulverising their upper bodies as he kept his fire tight and controlled. Captain Bless the Gamilan Commando was also keeping a cool head bringing down targets, shifting location, supporting the rest of the team. Hayes and Vega were revelling in their role as human tanks smashing through the Husk ranks and driving into the Turian camp that was there destination, Garrus calling out targets and picking off anything that looked dangerous.

They had fought their way to the last known location of General Victis, now Primarch Victus though he likely didn't know that part yet. All assuming he was still alive of course which was no guarantee in this war.

"Hold your fire, hold your fire!" Shepard heard Garrus calling down the commlink. "Friendlies coming up, east flank!"

They forced their way a little further forward rounding a large flat topped rock and finding themselves at the foot of the Turian base. Like them it was under heavy attack by husks with the defenders offering fierce resistance.

"Let's back them up, move forward!" Shepard ordered. "Flank left and right, bring a crossfire over the enemy line of advance!"

Vega blasted aside the last couple of husks in their path and led them into the base dropping quickly into cover behind a stack of crates. There were plenty of targets so he didn't need to be picky loosing off several shotgun blasts with satisfying results. Across from him Hayes was also engaging using his energy rifle at full power, the yellow blasts often smashing through two or three husks at once.

"Clear and move." Shepard gestured forward pushing the team forward. "Don't give them a chance to regroup!"

Bless took the lead now scattering gunfire around her, every round making itself count. She stayed mobile, deftly stepping through the battlefield keeping ahead of the grasping of the husks. Several cannibals tried to fire on the team but were quickly cut down by Turian gunfire. That earned a nod of approval from Shepard, the defence here was tight and well planned, the firing points interlocking and reserves carefully marshalled. If this was the work of Victus then the guy knew his job well.

The team advanced steadily, moving forward, taking cover, stopping counter attacks, holding what ground they took. Around them the Turians were also closing in, linking up their strongpoints and sweeping away the clumps of hostiles. It was a professional job earning more praise from the Alliance Spectre.

"Watch out! Enemy heavy!"

Shepard searched for the origin of the shout, glancing back and forth to see a Turian trooper backtracking fast firing on full auto. He made it a few yards before a massive shape barrelled into him knocking the trooper flat before pummelling him with abnormal clawed hands.

It was some new type of husk, a massive amalgamation of Krogan and Turian, one more vile hybrid, another mockery of life, but this one combined the resilience and brute power of a Krogan with the armour of a Turian.

"First group, focus fire!" A Turian shouted, probably Victus himself. "All other units hold position, keep clearing your sectors!"

One of the Turian reserve teams quickly redeployed and took positions in the path of the brutish new husk and began firing bursts into it coupled with a few grenades. Not much seemed to happen, it's tough hide shrugging off most of the damage.

"We'll back them up." Shepard decided seeing the damage this thing could do.

"On it." Garrus smartly raised his rifle, aimed for a breath, then fired. The round struck the husk cleanly on its bizarre head and ricocheted clean off with a ping. "Well crap."

"So much for finesse." Vega grunted. "Time for brute force."

"I got it." Hayes finally unslung the RPG on his shoulder. "I was saving this for the right moment, might as well be now."

"Got it." Shepard agreed. "Turian team! Take cover!"

They didn't need to be told twice seeing the massive armoured figure aiming a rocket their way. They kept their heads down, the husk brute spotting Hayes just a moment too late.

"Clear behind! Rocket out!"

The small but potent explosive whooshed loudly across the Turian base and slammed cleanly into the husk bowling it back before exploding with enough force to destroy a tank. Tough as the husk was it wasn't going to survive that, fragments of it fluttering down or splattering onto the rocks behind it.

"That'll do it." Shepard checked. "Looks like we're clear for now, any more contacts?"

"Looking good." Garrus confirmed.

"Alright let's find the Primarch before something else happens. You know the man Garrus, I'll follow your lead."

Victus was easy to spot at the edge of the Turian camp issuing directives with a well used rifle in hand. He'd been busy fighting beside his troops once the Reapers had broken through showing no hesitation to risk himself beside those he commanded. It was easy to see why he had the respect and admiration of the common soldier. He spotted the unusual group heading his way and moved to meet them with clear curiosity.

"General Victus?" Shepard asked as he halted.

"I am, and you must be Commander Shepard." The Turian General noted.

"That's right, I didn't think you'd been told I was on my way."

"I wasn't, but there aren't many N7 Commandos in the galaxy." Victus pointed to the badge on Shepard's gear. "And even fewer who could put up with Vakarian."

"Did I mention his razor sharp wit?" Garrus chimed.

"Good to see you again by the way Vakarian, what happened this morning? I thought you were securing the flank?"

"I was, then something came up." He looked to Shepard who took over.

"We're here to get you offworld and to a secure location."

"That so?" Victis wasn't expecting that. "I command most of the units on the front here, if you want me to leave my post it's going to have to be something extraordinary."

"You're the new Primarch." Garrus informed simply. "Fedorian was killed this morning, according to central you are next in line."

That was enough to quickly reset Victus' opinions.

"Primarch, me?" He shook his head. "You know how far down the line I was? How many others must be dead by now for me to be considered?"

Shepard glanced across at the burning sphere of Palaven.

"I can take a guess." He intoned sympathetically. "It's vital we get you out of here, you are needed to speak for your people in a critical war summit."

"Speak for my people as Primarch of the Hierarchy." He said the words out loud to see if they would make it any more real. "I'm no diplomat Shepard, I'm a soldier, always will be, it's in my blood."

"Good, a soldier is what we need." Shepard answered. "Politics is dead, what we need is action, what I need is a leader who can bring his people into an alliance with the rest of us. What you see here? Up there?" He pointed at Palaven. "Double that for Earth. I need the Turian fleet in the alliance I am creating. Your people need you Primarch, we all do."

Victus already knew the answer, what his duties were, and as a loyal servant of the Turian people he wasn't going to shirk his new responsibilities no matter how crippling they might appear.

"Very well Commander. Give me a little time to say farewell to my troops, make sure there's a solid chain of command still in place."

"Of course."

Victus departed for a different part of the base to talk to his subordinates leaving Shepard and Garrus looking out at the warzone. A crashed cruiser lay wedged across a ridge burning silently, black shapes moved in the distance while tracer fire curved up and down through the black sky. Above it all stood a Reaper, the immense machine marching across the moon picking off targets at will like the hand of death.

"Without him down here there's a good chance we lose this moon." Garrus watched the new Primarch with clear respect.

"Without him up there, there's a good chance we lose everything." Shepard countered, both of them correct.

Garrus exhaled in frustrated agreement. "Look at that." He gestured at the looming Reaper warship. "And they want my opinion on how to stop it?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the Reaper was instantly engulfed in flames, an explosion big enough to make the entire base jump in surprise. Despite the distance they felt the heat and heard the foghorn voice of the machine rage. A second explosion erupted accompanied by a lance of blue light, then a third which tore the lower half of the ship away in a hail of fiery debris. The entire base stood motionless, frozen in place as the great machine lost balance and fell forward onto the ground with enough weight to shudder the rock beneath their feet.

"The hell was that?" Vega's voice sounded clearly, the only noise for a long moment as the witnesses processed what they had seen.

"Was it a Thanix cannon?" Shepard asked going from surprise to analysis.

"No, different properties." Garrus shook his head. "I know weapons Shepard, I've never seen that before, it's not one of ours."

Shepard weighed probabilities, what he knew, what variables existed, and his eyes were gradually drawn toward Major Hayes and Captain Bless. No sooner had he reached this conclusion when a blue shape crossed into view skimming across the grey surface and past the crashed Reaper.

"Commander Shepard this is Artemisia, Taxi's here."

"No way!" Vega exclaimed. "No Way! That ship did that? That little thing?"

"Friends of yours?" Garrus watched the ship and it's unknown design slow down as it approached. "That's English writing on the side, but the design..." He looked over to Hayes also wearing unfamiliar gear. "This is the long story you keep mentioning isn't it?"

"I wasn't exactly sure until now, the story I was given was just..." Shepard shook his head. "Impossible."

"Impossible is a good word right now." The Turian answered. "But we can't deny what's right in front of our eyes."

"Commander! Commander, did I just see what I thought I saw?"

Victus rejoined them, head twitching between Shepard, the new ship and the burning Reaper.

"We all did." He confirmed. "We just killed a Reaper."

His omnitool chimed connecting him to the warship.

"Commander Shepard this is Captain Devlin, I understand the Normandy is having issues so we'll offer to take you up if your mission is complete."

"It is, we've secured the Primarch. No casualties to our team."

"Glad to hear it Commander."

"Captain, am I right in thinking you just brought down that Reaper to the north."

"You are Commander, and not just that one. That ship was number forty six."

"Did he say forty six?" Garrus tilted his head. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"

"You and me both." Shepard shared his thoughts. "Captain, did you say Forty Six kills?"

"Correct, we've cleared most of the hemisphere from Garuda base and beyond." Devlin confirmed. "Turns out our new ship is a lot more effective than expected."

"No shit."

"I have no other targets in range, we'll standby here Commander." The battleship floated on antigravs just beyond the base. "I think we have a lot to talk about."

Devlin closed the channel.

"Keep monitoring Comms Janet, let me know when the team boards."

"Yes sir."

"Well Major Actrix this is it, time to part ways."

"I guess so." The Turian was still rooted to his chair, recent memories still rattling around his head. "I don't believe we just did that."

"After the first dozen it was easy enough." Devlin shrugged. "Still knocking them down a few at a time is one thing but if they had mobbed us all at once we'd have been in trouble."

"Captain I have some movement." Makin warned. "Reapers on the move."

"Where?"

"Upwards. Remaining vessels seem to be taking off."

"Major Actrix, are you still linked into the Turian command net?"

"Yes, yes one moment." He quickly checked his console. "Confirmed, Reaper warships are lifting off across the moon, they're leaving!"

The tactical display seemed to confirm it, the Reaper vessels were pulling back from the surface and orbit. Dozens of ships heading out into space.

"We did that?" Nagano raised an eyebrow. "Just us? One ship?"

"They're retreating!" Actrix beamed. "The Reapers are retreating! I can't... I can't believe it!"

"I'm also picking up civilian traffic from Palaven, local reports just started saying Reaper ships are lifting off on the planet too."

Actrix's day continued to go from one impossible event to another.

"They're leaving Palaven too? Did we just drive them off?"

"No, no it's not that easy." Devlin shook his head. "Look at the numbers, most of the ones left on the moon are gone but its only a portion of those on Palaven. There's still a strong presence down there."

"Sensors show about seventy units from Menae and the fleet in orbit, plus four hundred from Palaven on the move."

"Where?"

"They aren't leaving the system, plotting course."

Devlin checked the computer displayed map tracking the two Reaper groups, both met at a point between the planet and the moon.

"They're not withdrawing they're regrouping." The Captain observed. "Massing for a major counter attack."

"Nearly five hundred ships." Nagano winced. "I don't think we're going to beat those odds."

"We could withdraw." Newman suggested. "If they are only coming after us we can draw them away from this system."

"Back to the Citadel, maybe Lyonesse?" Devlin shook his head. "Besides we made this mess by getting stuck in. This is our responsibility."

He looked at the screen for a few moments.

"Miss Makin, this enemy fleet, I don't suppose it is massing into one large closely grouped unit is it?"

"It appears so sir, they likely want to swarm us with their entire force at once."

"How convenient." Devlin grinned. "Are we all thinking the same thing here?"

"We're definitely not keeping a low profile after this one."

"Shepard, this is Artemisia, do you read?"

"Captain." Shepard answered. "We're just finishing up here."

"Slight change of plans Commander, did you see the Reapers are on the move?"

"Victus mentioned they've pulled back from Menae and parts of Palaven."

"They're massing for an attack and we are the target." Devlin related. "Clearly they don't want us leaving this moon alive."

"You're probably the biggest single threat to the Reapers right now, I can see why they'd go all out to destroy you."

"They'll need more ships than that to beat us. We're going to take them on, but to do so we're going to have to use our main weapon. We don't have time to move into orbit so it'll be a low altitude firing."

"That sounds like it's going to get dangerous."

"We've never fired this weapon before, our sister ship has only used it once and that was in deep space. There is a risk but we're confident you'll be fine. It is going to be pretty intense though, suggest you find cover and don't look at the light without eye protection."

"We can do that."

"It's going to take a minute or so to line up. We'll give you another warning just before firing but be ready."

"On it." Shepard confirmed. "General, sorry, Primarch Victus, we need to get everyone into cover."

"I heard, something big on the way?"

"Major Hayes?" He looked to the UN officer.

"Yeah, really big." The armoured man nodded. "The firework display of your life."

"Reaper forces are converging." Makin confirmed. "Range one point two light seconds."

"Engineering, bridge, I'm going to need overload power."

"Reactor room ready." Commander Kalani answered. "We're using the big guns?"

"We are, can we handle it?"

"Damn right sir, maximum power on your order."

"Very good, begin wave gun charging sequence." Devlin ordered. "Mr Nagano begin pre-fire checks. Mr Newman align the ship if you please."

The crew set to work, the activity increasing substantially, lights flickered, displays scrolled reams of data as the computers making sure all was in order.

"Excuse me, what's about to happen?" Major Actrix took a moment of quiet to ask.

"What you've seen up to now, the shock cannons? They were just our standard weapons, there to defend ourselves and knock out enemies one on one. Well, four or five on one. Point is they were our secondary weapons, we also have a separate weapon which has a bit more kick, fires down the spine through those two apertures at the front of the ship. Those two huge cannon looking things."

"How powerful are they?" He looked at the map showing the mass of Reaper ships. "I mean can they..."

"One way to find out Major."

"Anywhere here is good, behind these rocks." Shepard gestured. "Major Hayes, what are we expecting?"

"A lot of light and sound, probably a shockwave at this altitude." Hayes advised. "I've never experienced it before but I've seen the data feeds and videos. It's going to be big."

"Some sort of gun?"

"It's the spinal mount, you can see the two gun barrels at the front of the ship." Hayes gestured.

"Same as our ships." Vega noted. "Their big guns are spinal mounts too."

"Right." Hayes nodded.

"So is it a rail gun? Laser?"

"it's called a Wave Cannon, it's technical." Hayes tried to pull some facts from his mind. "Simple version, the main reactor creates an artificial blackhole in the muzzle and then..."

"Artificial Black Hole? Really?" Garrus interrupted. "How do you do that? And is it safe at this range?"

"Probably, the system collapses the black hole soon after which releases energy. Quite a lot of energy, which we direct at things we really don't like."

"How much energy?"

"Enough to completely blow up this moon." Hayes guessed. "And as you can see the Arti has two of those guns. Looks like she's going to give the Reapers both barrels."

The Super Battleship began to move, to rotate vertically. The thrusters at the bow pushed the nose of the ship upwards as it continued to float in the thin air, the Artemisia slowly raising to stand almost on her tail at an angle of seventy degrees or so.

"Weapon aligned." Newman reported.

"Energy charge at eighty percent and rising." Nagano read. "Eighty five."

"Release safety locks, open gun ports."

The iris like doors at the core of the spinal gun apertures spiralled open, the mounting energy beginning to glow a bright white blue at the muzzle.

"Major Actrix, please make sure all Turian vessels are clear of the firing line."

"They are forming up above the pole to flank the enemy." Actrix stated. "No units above us."

"With a little luck they won't need to act." Devlin hoped. "Miss Makin, double check targeting sensors, I don't want to miss and take a chunk out of Palaven."

"All good Captain, range to enemy fleet point eight light seconds."

"Energy one hundred percent."

"Polarise the windows. Have all crew brace and prepare for firing."

"One hundred ten percent."

"Shepard, Artemisia, firing imminent, brace for flash and shockwave."

"That's the final warning!" Shepard called out. "Hit the ground and face away from the blast!"

A hundred meters away the bow of the vessel was illuminated in harsh light, the containment system capturing the growing energy mounting in the muzzles.

"It'll be a single massive flash, then an intense beam." Hayes spoke. "After that at a set range the two beams converge and burst. Anything in burst range is going to have a very, very bad day."

"What if they miss?"

"It takes a minute for main power to be restored, even longer if you want to fire again or use the FTL drive. If the Arti misses she'll have to fight them conventionally. She's a tough ship but I don't think she's that tough."

"So she can't run and she can't make a second shot in time?"

"Probably not, it's a gamble." Hayes nodded. "If it goes bad we all die."

"But if it pays off..." Shepard looked up at the sky.

"Better keep down Commander, I don't think anyone has been this close before. Going to be interesting."

The energy at the muzzle rose to a crescendo, flickering and strobing, visible from horizon to horizon drawing the attention of dozens of Turian outposts and bases, every sensor position and observation post transfixed by this unprecedented event. The entire Turian army watched and waited, hearts raised, nerves at their limits as the energy built beyond what their sensors could register and still the ship did not fire.

"One hundred twenty percent!" Nagano made the final reading. "All systems at maximum, if we don't shoot now we'll melt the ship!"

"Target enemy formation, prepare firing trigger."

By now the Reapers were within range of the Artemisia's short range sensors, their long range systems still fried after the dimensional hop. They filled the main display at the front of the bridge, hundreds of targeting locks seeking individual targets, the super computers preparing the direction and blast pattern to catch every enemy ship. Ahead of Nagano the firing trigger was released, rising from the console and unlocking.

"Target locked, twin wave cannons ready to fire."

"Take the shot Mr Nagano, empty the sky."

There was nothing comparable, nothing that had been seen by the eyes of Human or Turian. There was a brief flash before everything went dead quiet, utterly still. For a heartbeat there was nothing, no light, no sound, no motion, the whole world paused and drew breath before everything went completely white.

The wave gun connected, the energy released crushing down before blasting outward focused contained and directed by the full overcharge of the wave core reactor. The instant was declared by a massive boom, a vaguely electric crash like a gigantic bolt of thunder that blasted a ring of dust and sand away from the ship and over the base like a storm. Shepard's team and the Turians kept low and behind cover, the storm passing over them in a few seconds before subsiding. The world turned still again only now a pillar of blue light rose into the sky, a lance from the Earth battleship visible from across the entire hemisphere, a spike captivating the Turians reaching up toward their mutual enemy.

It didn't matter what the Reapers did, it was too close to escape or evade, to jump away or disperse. The twin beams closed fast, spiralling around each other faster and faster until finally merging and in that moment bursting like a flower opening up. A release of light visible from both Menae and Palaven engulfed the Reapers, the two beams splitting into thousands of individual grasping tendrils that arced and curved outwards and then back in toward a single convergence point behind the Reaper fleet.

Nothing could survive the centre of that maelstrom and nothing did, the radiant blue energy fading away to be left by hundreds of spots of fire, the molten pieces of the Reaper fleet that slowly cooled and dimmed leaving nothing but cold metal and radiation.

No one had missed it, the attack had illuminated the sky and then erased hundreds of Reaper ships. In a day of the impossible this had been the final and greatest miracle. To kill one Reaper was a grand achievement, to kill a handful required resources and skill beyond all but the greatest fleets. To kill this many hadn't even been considered, yet it had happened. It had been recorded and soon would be news galaxy wide.

As the light faded the Artemisia stood in silence, the backup batteries providing enough power to keep her in the sky, the ship lowering back down to draw level with the surface peaceful now and quiet after her defiance. Around the base the Turians simply stood and looked upwards watching the dimming lights of the defeated enemy.

"Okay, now I need to know." Vega demanded. "Who are these people?"

"I don't know what I'm looking at any more Commander." Victus stood beside Shepard. "What did I just see?"

Shepard followed his gaze, looking from the burning sky and down to the now silent Reaper of the Reapers.

"Hope."


	7. 5

-5-

Artificial Planet Lyonesse

Jirel Settlement.

The small unusual world hadn't moved since its arrival some four days ago now, it still resided a few lightyears from Earth putting it in a potentially very dangerous position with large Reaper forces active nearby. Fortunately they had dropped in the middle of nowhere far from any shipping lanes or associated activity and without decent FTL sensors the Reapers wouldn't know about them for years. Unless they were somehow tipped off or had capabilities more advanced than anyone knew.

Above the world and its great metal rings sat the two fleets, one human and one gamilan, stationary and patient while their leaders tried to determine a course of action. By now most of the ships damaged in the dimensional skip were repaired or written off, the Gamilans having suffered several ship loses compared to just two small Earth ships. Casualties had been fortunately light and overall combat strength hadn't diminished much, both groups were fully primed and ready for a fight if it showed up.

The two forces were deployed side by side with a large gap between them, their relations still somewhat frosty given their mutual history. The block formations of the Gamilan fleet to the left, the neat lines of the Earth fleet to the right with the planet sitting between. It was this formation that greeted Shepard as the Seagull transport detached from the Artemisia, the blue and grey Earth warships a regal sight in the darkness far from any sunlight, their running lights twinkling and proudly illuminating their names and pennant numbers.

With Primarch Victus secured the two human ships had withdrawn from Menae to the Citadel for a brief stop to retrieve Colonel Meredia and for Shepard to submit his reports. The battle at Menae and the sudden and violent destruction of a Reaper fleet had begun to filter into the wider news channels once it was confirmed to be true and not a hoax with questions starting to be asked. So far Shepard had avoided any direct comments and had left the station before the battle had become wider knowledge, no doubt by the time he got back it would be a media storm.

Shepard though had more important things to do. After what he had seen the Artemisia do he needed to speak with whoever was in command of these visitors and do everything in his power to bring them into the war. It was no lie to say these new ships were the only units that could win a fair fight with a Reaper force and apparently destroy multiple Reapers in a single battle. It was power he hadn't conceived of, even the advanced Protheans had nothing anywhere close to this. He didn't just see a hope of liberating Earth and Palaven, he saw the end of the Reaper Cycle itself forever. A way to finally break the chain of genocide.

He couldn't allow such an opportunity to fade away.

Captain Devlin had been sympathetic and had offered Shepard a ride to Lyonesse, the Artemisia able to travel there swiftly and undetected by any lurking enemies. They had contacted the planet on arrival and arranged a meeting, the battleship had been evidently expected as news of the intervention spread on the extranet and was picked up by the EDF monitoring buoys.

Shepard had brought Garrus with him as the only other person in his immediate crew with first hand experience of Reapers and Liara with her knowledge of alien cultures and traditions. Her sharp intellect and talent as the Shadowbroker was also of course a great asset in what were bound to be tough negotiations.

The Artemisia had moved back into formation with her escorts and taken up station to defend the planet under command of her XO, Devlin himself joining the group as it headed to the planet to speak as one of the Battlegroup commanders. Meredia had already headed down and by now would be waiting to represent her own task force. It was more than a little intimidating, Shepard was no coward but the stakes here were so high, the rewards potentially so huge he couldn't help but be terrified of making a mistake. He was a soldier, not a diplomat, compared to this even coming back from the dead was more of an inconvenience than a challenge.

Descending to the planet was fairly normal leaving despite it's unusual nature, something else Shepard had to fight to comprehend as the shuttle descended and left the ranks of warships behind. It was a respectable force but Shepard noted it wasn't nearly as large as an Alliance fleet, the entire combined fleet probably had less tonnage than a single Dreadnought and a few escorts. Still those handful of capital ships and hundred or so cruisers and destroyers represented more firepower than any other formation in this war. Tiny as this group was it punched well above it's weight.

Below them the planet was also an enigma. Despite being far from any sun there was daylight around them, artificial light provided by the cage of encircling rings looping around Lyonesse offering everything life required including apparently a day and night cycle. As they skimmed past clouds they saw seas and forests coupled with empty cities that seemingly still had basic utilities. It was a verdant world but a silent one, like an abandoned Aztec city lost to the jungles and rivers.

The only signs of life beside plants and animals were an enclave of signals and spacecraft at the edge of the largest city, presumably the capital. They circled around as they confirmed a landing spot giving Shepard a chance to take in the surroundings and how small it all seemed. There were parks, lakes, homes and beyond that what seemed to be farms but not much else. The great city itself was as still as almost everywhere else, it's immense spires and towers gleaming but unused, little more than monuments to a long gone civilisation. Unsurprisingly Liara was utterly transfixed.

They touched down in a makeshift spaceport littered with several other small craft from Earth or Gamilan sources and dominated by a heavily damaged Gamilan cruiser sitting beside a lake like a beached sea monster.

"Here's our stop." Devlin walked to the back of the craft and dropped the cargo ramp filling the metallic box with fresh floral scented air standing in stark contrast to the bland recycled atmosphere of the craft. "We'll walk from here, isn't far."

The small party clambered out onto soft grass, the springiness under their feet something they hadn't felt for a long while and hadn't realised they even missed. Around them ground crews began refuelling their transport while other teams worked on other assorted craft around them paying little attention to anything else. Most were human or Gamilan but here and there Shepard noted some Jirel, the ashen skinned pointed eared aliens coordinating the landing zone with a uniformed human.

"Jirel." Devlin noted Shepard's gaze. "Bit of a rarity, I don't think anyone in the fleet had seen one until a few days ago."

"Yeah, I read the notes. These are among the last of their kind?"

"They are."

"Fascinating." Liara observed as they walked away from the field and moved into the built up suburbs. "And all of them telepathic?"

"Empathic I think, telepaths are less common." Devlin answered. "And those with exceptional telepathy even rarer. Apparently though the very best can reach out across light years and create a fantasy world so real you never even notice."

"That's quite a skill." Garrus noted. "And a threat."

"That's probably why there aren't many left." Devlin nodded. "Someone thought they were too much of a danger to leave alone."

"By someone you mean..."

"Gamilans."

They walked down the wide avenue between very conventional looking housing, single or double storey homes with gardens that looked neatly kept. They didn't seem occupied but were well still maintained and could have been homes on any one of a dozen humanoid worlds.

"We're in the large building at the end." Devlin waved to a four storey structure that curved and rose above the other buildings, tiny compared to the huge towers in the heart of the city behind it but adequate for this smaller community.

"So the Gamilans defeated the Jirel?" Liara asked. "And wiped out their homeworld?"

"They did." The EDF Captain confirmed. "Much like they did to us. We were lucky enough to have shelters ready and help from elsewhere. The Jirel had nothing."

"I can't imagine the Gamilans are welcome here, but I've seen a few hanging around." Garrus observed.

"The Jirel leader, Regent Ida, has forbidden attacks on the Gamilans. She doesn't want more bloodshed. Besides the Gamilan Colonel seems decent enough and is ready to defend this world from attack, puts them in the same position we're in."

"You don't like them but you do need them." Shepard recognised. "Been there a lot recently."

"We can't just reject that sort of military power when we're stranded out here. We need each other for better or worse."

They passed rows of trees and flowerbeds, all perfect but seemingly isolated.

"Who looks after this place?" Shepard asked resting a hand on a tree trunk as he passed.

"Robots I think, tied into whatever central computer is running this place." Devlin shrugged. "Not sure, but considering it was abandoned for thousands of years yett everything looks so new there must be something at work, some automation."

Finally they arrived at the meeting hall, a pair of Jirel waving them in.

"Straight on please, the Regent is waiting first door ahead."

"Thanks." Devlin nodded. "This should be fun, haven't had my debriefing yet from the Admiral."

"You think he might take exception to you getting involved at Menae?" Garrus wondered.

"Did sort of blow our cover. I mean it was an information gathering mission and we did gather a lot of information. He wasn't specific on how..."

"Stick to that reasoning and pray." Shepard managed a slight grin. "You saved a lot of lives Captain."

"And in doing so put all of ours at risk." Devlin shrugged. "We signed up for it, the fleet will be ready to fight but the Jirel might be another matter. Guess we're about to find out."

He knocked on the indicated door and then entered bringing the rest of the group with him. The room was plain with a ring shaped table in the centre designed to host a few dozen people. Only four were seated with the new arrivals bringing it up to eight in total.

Shepard recognised Colonel Meredia, the one eyed Gamilan sitting quietly with an Asian EDF Captain beside her. Next in line was the gold decked uniform of an Admiral and beside him a silver haired very slender Jirel female.

"You must be Commander Shepard." The Admiral stood and extended a hand. "Alan Brand, Admiral commanding the Earth Federation Seventh Fleet."

"Honoured Admiral." Shepard took his hand firmly. "I'd like to introduce Garrus Vakarian of the Turian Hierarchy and Liara T'Soni of the Asari."

"Glad to meet you, I had imagined meeting people from distant worlds since I was a kid, forgive me if I seem a little over enthusiastic."

He gestured for them to sit down.

"You already know Colonel Ilin Meredia commanding Gamilas forces here, beside her is Captain Jiang Zhou of the Arcadia Battlegroup, and here Regent Ida who leads this world and the Jirel survivors."

They shared some greetings as they settled, the air tense and expectant, the representatives from such wildly different origins face to face knowing this meeting was a hinge upon which the galaxy could turn.

"I'll get to the point Commander." Brand began. "It was not our intention to interfere in this galaxy. Our presence here is accidental and we are focused on reversing it. Ideally we would have left and you would never have even known we were here."

"It seems that is no longer possible." Shepard returned. "The intervention at Palaven is already hitting the galactic news services, questions are being asked."

"Captain Devlin may have overstepped his authority." Brand intoned sternly. "But in all fairness I might have done the same thing in his shoes. Every commanding officer in this fleet knows what it is like to fight a losing war. However there are bigger concerns."

"This isn't just a matter of our fleets but also sixteen thousand Jirel civilians." Zhou joined in. "We might be ready to take the risk and fight, but our actions are dragging them into this and they are probably the largest group of their species left alive."

"I understand these Reapers are waging a war of extermination and you want to preserve your various races, but now we're also faced with preventing a species becoming extinct."

"Then we have a common goal and a common enemy." Shepard observed.

"We already have an enemy." Brand returned. "One with massive resources that will require the full force of the Earth Defence Forces to confront. My mission is there Commander, not here."

"That may be Admiral, but with respect you are here. You are part of this one way or another." Shepard stated. "And we need your help."

"As do we."

The willowy Jirel finally spoke. She set her cool eyes on Shepard with a guarded expression, sharp edged tattoos circled her neck and she wore a silver chain around her head at the hairline.

"This is a peaceful world Commander, we have only basic weapons and only one trained soldier. We are survivors of a genocide, bakers, merchants, students, teachers, priests, a few doctors and police. We are a cross section of a civilisation, neither the best nor brightest, or the bravest and most talented. If we were to be attacked we would not survive even a token force."

"I understand, and we would not abandon you." Shepard promised.

"I appreciate and respect your promise, but it is beyond your power. With all your strength you could not defend your own homes. You cannot defend ours. Against this threat no one can."

"Then you are in the same position as everyone else in this galaxy. I am sorry Regent but this is just the reality, we are at war and we are getting slaughtered."

"We still do not know what brought us here, why this place." Ida frowned. "Why this place of great carnage and despair. Have we not known enough?"

"I wanted to ask Regent." Brand spoke up. "Any progress on getting us home?"

"No, we don't even know what caused the transfer in the first place. And even if we could recreate it there are infinite realities, the chance of us returning to our own is almost impossible."

"Then we must continue research."

"We will."

"But until then, until you can return home." Shepard pushed again. "You could do so much to help ours."

"You need to understand my situation Commander." Brand cut to the point. "I have a duty to my people to defend them, to that end my number one priority is to get back home with all of my fleet so I can rejoin the war against Gatlantis."

"I can appreciate that Admiral."

"We don't know what is happening back home, Gatlantis had already launched assaults on human territory and had breached the Sol System before being repulsed. Right now they could be launching an all out offensive and we are stuck here with an entire fleet of brand new top of the line warships."

Brand's frustration and concern were obvious. As a career soldier he had no hesitation about going into battle and if necessary giving his life for his home, but to be placed in a position where he knew Earth was in danger and he had the means to help but simply couldn't get there was torture.

"If I send forces to help you, if I commit to this war even with our advantages we will lose ships, lose lives. Every ship lost here is a ship unable to fight the battle we signed up for and dedicated ourselves to. You want me to fight for you Commander and I am sympathetic, but my fight is elsewhere and I need every ship intact and ready for that battle."

None of this surprised Shepard and he could easily understand Brand's responsibilities as a commanding officer. He had orders, objectives, a duty to fulfil with catastrophic consequences if he failed. He knew all this because he found himself in the exact same position.

"I'm not going to criticise you for holding to your duty and putting the needs of your homeworld first, I'd do the same thing. I am doing the same thing." Shepard replied sincerely. "But as Regent Ida said there is right now no way for you to get home, and there may never be a way. You and all your people might be stuck here with us forever in which case you are going to have to confront that reality and with it make a hell of a choice.

"You can stay here, hidden, safe and build a world. This planet can move through the warp so you can probably evade the Reapers and live in peace. You can stay here shut off and look to your own future while the galaxy dies around you. Then fifty thousand years from now it happens again, and again, and again. That's a safe choice, and who knows, maybe you will get home one day and return to your patrols, your duty, and have nothing more to do with us or our fate.

"Or you can chose to not turn your back. You can chose not to step away and forget us. I know how small your population is here, how dangerous it is with so few people. I know that anyone you lose isn't coming back, and that this may be the only hope for the Jirel to try and return from extinction. I know that every ship that doesn't make it home could be the ship that makes a difference in your war back home. But I am still asking for that help, for that sacrifice."

"You don't know much about us, we don't know much about you, but what do I know? I see those uniforms aren't for show, I know that you fought the same war we are fighting now, a war to save our homes and families from extinction. I know that out of every person in this galaxy right now that your Earth Federation fleet and your Jirel survivors are the only ones who really grasp what the Reapers are because you survived the same thing. We are united by that, you represent our two possible futures. Battered but alive like Earth, or wiped out to a few trace survivors like the Jirel. Maybe not even that.

"Admiral, when your world was facing death and stood on the brink you received help from nowhere, an advanced race that saw your plight and made a choice to help, to sacrifice. From the story Captain Devlin told me the leader of Iscandar sent her two last sisters to you, two of the three surviving members of her race. She sent them into great danger and one didn't survive, those three last Iscandarians had nothing left and still gave their everything to save your world.

"Now here my people stand looking at extinction, and then from nowhere arrives an advanced friendly force with the power to change this war and give not just my world a chance to live, but every civilised world in this galaxy. You are our Iscandar Admiral, you can do for us what they did for you, but only if you are ready to take an incredible risk, one that might cost you the same precious blood as the children of Iscandar lost.

"One way or another you are part of this galaxy now Admiral, your choice will affect trillions of lives, maybe change things forever if we beat the Reapers completely. It's a hell of a position to find yourselves in, hell of a responsibility, but there it is. Whatever your decision we won't stop you or try to change your mind, but it's no lie that you can change this war overnight.

Help us Admiral, help us the same way others helped you in your hour of greatest need. If you believe in some greater power, some balance in the universe, maybe this is your chance to repay your debt to Iscandar by passing their gift on to the next people who need it where Iscandar can't. Maybe it's time for you to become them."

For what may have been a full minute the room was silent, contemplative. Shepard was no diplomat but he knew how to forge a team, how to take people from random, even conflicting backgrounds and inspire them to become a unit. This was perhaps the same thing on a larger scale and no doubt why his superiors had assigned him and not a pure diplomat.

"Damn me if you don't know how to pitch terrible idea and make it sound great." Brand chuckled. "Not much else I can say after that. We'll need to talk it over, anything to add Commander?"

"Not in this case Admiral, but I do have a request for Regent Ida."

The Jirel raised an eyebrow.

"I'm listening Commander."

"As I understand it your race is telepathic to a degree?"

"To a degree. Most can sense emotions, strong thoughts, it varies with natural talent and training."

"Could you for instance sense a lie?"

"Easily."

"Then that is what I need." Shepard began to explain. "Aside from this meeting I am also working to bring the Krogan into the Coalition I'm building. Do you know them?"

"I've read some basic notes we recovered from your Extranet, they are a warrior race aren't they?"

"Yes, the fiercest. Bringing them into this war with on our side would be a huge boost, but to do so I have to help their leader Urdnot Wrex. I won't go into details but to help him I have to recover a Krogan national being held on the Salarian homeworld."

"The Salarians are also an ally are they not?"

"They are." Shepard confirmed. "But they also have bad blood with the Krogan, and the individual I am due to recover isn't supposed to exist. She is being held in a legal grey area, there is a good chance the Salarians might try to hide her, to lie or try to trick me so I cannot complete my mission. If this was to happen it would help a lot to have someone there who could instantly spot the lie."

"No one among our races has the sort of talents the Jirel have." Liara shared. "Which means there are no countermeasures."

"We are not warriors or commandos Commander, we are hiding here in fear of our lives." Ida was cautious. "The galaxy thinks us dead, we have been happy to let them keep thinking that."

"With respect Regent everything has changed, and you did mention you had one soldier here."

"I doubt she will join you."

"Could she do the job?"

"Easily, beside myself she is likely the strongest here."

"Then I'd like to speak with her. This isn't a combat mission, the Salarian homeworld is well defended and there has been no Reaper activity nearby."

"You are free to ask her, and I will not refuse if she wants to join you. But the Jirel are not strong enough to fight this war. I don't need to deliberate Admiral." Ida addressed the others. "We will not fight, however we will not stop you from fighting. You are here because you tried to help us, it is our responsibility so you will remain welcome here. I will set aside a city for your people Admiral, it is small compensation but consider Lyonesse your home until we can return."

"Appreciated Regent."

"Very well." She stood gracefully, long dress rippling with each movement. "If you will join me Commander I will take your team to see General Anagrain."

"Take your time Commander." Brand suggested. "We'll let you know our decision by the end of the day."

*

Shepard found himself stood in the front carriage of some type of gravity propelled train, presumably the mass transit system for the ancient city. It looked like it could carry hundreds of people in a dozen linked carriages but today only carried his two companions and Regent Ida. Outside the light was fading bathing the world in orange and glittering from the windows of the countless skyscrapers around them. The train had no rails to follow but seemed to be on an automated flightpath. Nothing else stirred.

"We were wondering earlier how the city here still looked so good with nobody living here?" Liara conversed with Ida, her scientific curiosity stoked by the sights around her. For this trip she was more the excited scientist of old than the often ruthless Shadowbroker she had become. It brought him a smile.

"Robots and drones." Ida answered. "There are large numbers of them all centrally controlled."

"What controls them?"

"The planet's central computer core. We haven't studied it much, I expect the Earth Engineers there now fixing our warp drives know more than we do."

"You haven't had a chance to study it?"

"We're not scientists or researchers Miss T'soni, our most skilled scientist was a high school teacher. Aside from him I and one other who studied in the Priesthood are the most familiar with this technology, we can use it fairly well but understanding it is a different matter."

"How did you find this place?"

"We followed a record left by the ancient Akerians. They built several of these megastructures for different purposes, beside this one we also found Shambleau which is much larger overall but with a smaller living surface. There is also a surviving Jirel colony there too but we know little about them. Only that my Cousin apparently runs it."

"Must be good to know you have a relative out there." Garrus suggested.

"It is, few of us do." Ida watched the city rush by in shades of gold and red. "We were the last ship out, our world ash and fire around us. I had gathered what survivors I could, found us shelter but our world was dying, poisoned and radioactive. Suddenly a ship dropped through the clouds, at first we expected a Gamilan execution squad but then we saw it was one of ours, a lone battleship that had broken the Gamilan blockade and found us. It was big enough to take most of us, sixteen thousand crammed into every space, but even then we had to leave people behind. All volunteers who stayed in hell so others may live."

She was quiet for a while.

"The ship that rescued us was commanded by Varhana Anagrain, She was a minor fleet commander but her crew was skilled enough to make it home before we all expired and get out again past the blockade with we survivors aboard. I knew the location of this place so here we travelled, honestly I was surprised we found it where the old records showed."

"So you had never been here before?" Liara asked.

"We never had time to send an expedition, it was a gamble. But we had nowhere else to go."

The skytrain descended smoothly coming to a halt at the base of a large tower.

"Varhana lives here." The doors opened. "She prefers her own company."

"We're a long way from the town." Garrus observed. ""Any reason she's all the way out here?"

"Fear."

"What is she afraid of?"

"She isn't the one who is afraid." Ida stated. "Others fear her."

"Why?"

"She's a War Witch, trained to kill with a thought. Even among Jirel it is a relatively rare skill and one which is deeply feared. There is no reason to do so of course, it's just one other ability, but often people have trouble understanding that. She lives out here to avoid causing disruption."

"The skill to kill with a thought." Liara mused. "I can see that would be hard to deal with."

"People across the galaxy feared us." Ida led them into the building and toward a lift. "Feared we would learn their secrets, control their leaders like puppets, murder them on a whim. That fear burned my world and slaughtered billions of innocent people."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Ida raised a hand.

"Just be careful what you say. What are idle thoughts to you are the root of our greatest despair Doctor T'soni. People imagined what we would do with our power instead of looking at what we actually did. The truth was lost in fear and panic and in the end so were we. Ignorance and fear go hand in hand, usually it ends in the slaughter of innocents."

They arrived at an upper floor when Ida paused outside a door, waiting a moment in thought before turning to the group.

"Varhana is a soldier and honourable, but she has endured a lot, seen more death than any of us and carries a lot of grief. Her job was to defend our world, she failed, remember this."

"In other words think about what we're going to say." Garrus nodded. "Got it, wouldn't want to piss off the person who can kill you with a thought."

"Wise." Ida tapped on the door. "Many weren't nearly that thoughtful. They didn't live long enough to regret it."

"What? Wait a..."

The door slid open revealing at their feet a small cat like creature. It viewed them with large eyes, swished it's two tails, then promptly disregarded them and trotted off to whatever business it had.

"Welcome, come in." A voice called. "You brought guests Ida, I'll make extra tea."

"There is no need, we will not be long."

"Nonsense, what sort of host would I be? Please, find a seat, I'll be along shortly."

They did as instructed settling into a large living room dominated by massive floor to ceiling windows looking out over the city. It must have been some sort of penthouse apartment originally the equal of anything Shepard had seen, the view was incredible.

"I hope you enjoy the local tea leaves." A figure arrived from elsewhere in the huge apartment. "We're a little limited in what we have here."

Unlike Ida who wore a long thin black dress with draping sleeves like a fairy tale witch Varhana wore plain and simple clothes, a very basic shirt and pants in shades of grey. Her hair was shorter than Ida's but still reached halfway down her back and was a brighter shade of silver. She carefully set down a tray of tea cups for each visitor then settled herself opposite them.

Shepard noted the precision she used when setting out the tea, the cups were neat and in line, her movements efficient and confident. If the Jirel were a race hiding in terror from the galaxy this person did not share that fear. He noticed she too was weighing him up, her violet eyes darker than Ida's but still fairly light by Jirel standards. Hints of tattoos were visible on her hands, wrist and neck suggesting she had the same body art as the rest of her people along with what Shepard recognised as scars from burns below her neck hidden by the collar of her shirt. He stopped when he recalled she might be reading his mind.

"You aren't the people I expected." Varhana shifted her focus to the team in general. "I was expecting the Earth Fleet to come and see me, but you three are locals. Asari, Turian. That is right yes?"

"Yes, we only recently learned of this place and you." Liara confirmed.

"I hope Ida didn't scare you, she's very protective of this world and we who live here, even me who doesn't need it."

"We all need the protection of this place." Ida chided. "That does include you."

"She probably made me sound terrifying." Varhana grinned. "I know you mean well Regent and want to discourage them from seeking my help, but let me make that choice."

"You know we came for your help then?" Shepard observed her. "Are you reading my mind right now?"

The Jirel smiled at him widely.

"No, Ida is running interference, telepathic jamming." Varhana looked to the other taller Jirel. "She still doesn't trust me."

"It isn't trust, it's a precaution. You don't usually enjoy alien company."

"Only when they bring their hatred and fear with them." She sneered, her pleasant expression fading for a moment. "You can't blame me for trying to educate them."

"We have laws against telepathic manipulation for..."

"Yes, yes, I know." Varhana waved the lecture away. "But it doesn't matter here." She smiled again at Shepard. "You're not scared at all are you?"

"Maybe I'm just better at controlling it."

"Even better. To be fearless is often foolish, to be afraid but still walk into the Lion's Den, that is true courage. Your world is dying isn't it?"

Shepard wasn't fazed by the sudden change of topic.

"Yes."

"Yours too Turian?"

"Right."

"One day yours too Asari. I don't need telepathy to sense your fear, your dread. Each of you would do anything for your homes wouldn't you? Sacrifice anything for victory, for survival."

"Yes." Shepard said simply.

"Then we have an understanding."

Varhana sipped her tea quietly, satisfied with her guests.

"We'd like you to help us." Shepard moved on. "I understand you can detect lies, I need that in the next set of negotiations I must..."

"Yes." She cut him off. "I don't need the details, I'll help you."

"Don't you want to know the details?"

"My choice to help isn't based on the task, it is based on you." She looked at him with piercing eyes. "My world is dead, yours is dying, you right now are where I was once. I can understand what you are thinking, what you are living. That is why I will help you."

"This is a non combat mission to a friendly homeworld, there shouldn't be any trouble." Garrus picked up. "But the way things are out there..."

"You need someone who can look after themselves, not be a burden in combat?" Varhana reasoned. "It's been a while and I was Navy, not Army, but I have basic combat training."

"Then we're glad to have you. We'll probably be leaving this evening."

"I'll be ready." The Jirel affirmed. "I'll get some gear together and see you at the landing zone."

"Thank you." Shepard spoke sincerely.

"As I said Commander I know better than most what weighs on your shoulders. If I can help, I will."

She extended a hand.

"Is this a custom on your Earth too?"

"It is." he grasped her hand with a shake. "I look forward to working with you."

She smiled back.

"Not nearly so much as I do."

*

"In theory we could just vanish, disappear from the galaxy and never be seen again."

It was a fair idea Brand admitted, probably the best idea if viewed objectively.

"My engineering team from Enterprise confirms the planetary warp system will be recharged in three or four hours, as far as they can tell it is all working normally with no indication of further anomalies. We could travel deep into interstellar space and continue to work on a way home."

"And in so doing condemn this galaxy to certain destruction." Captain Devlin reminded. "Or at least most of it for the next fifty thousand years."

"It's not a guarantee, if this man Shepard can unite the factions he might win it without our help." Captain Zhou offered.

"He can't win a conventional war." Devlin shook his head. "I watched the Turians trying to kill just one of these Reapers and they couldn't. They just don't have the firepower."

"We have the firepower, that seems clear." Brand considered. "But we don't have the numbers. We can take ground but we can't hold it."

"We can kill Reaper ships by the hundred, but if Shepard is right the enemy numbers in the hundreds of thousands, maybe more." Zhou recalled. "We can't take those odds, even if we had the entire EDF here and the Gamilans those numbers are pretty steep."

"They could swarm us." Devlin acknowledged. "We're not going to be able to fight a line up battle against these guys. We're going to need to be clever."

"Attrition is going to be our main enemy, we can't replace lost ships without Earth." Zhou added. "We can replace missiles and aircraft, plus we can patch together basic repairs, but any heavy damage to our forces will end us."

"Same goes for crews." Brand added. "We all have combat command experience, so do the battleship Captains. But our cruiser Captains are mostly junior officers promoted to their first command, and a lot of our escort commanders are fresh out of the academy."

"Plus a lot of our crews and ratings are as green as grass." Devlin noted. "Not a lot of experienced people made it out of the last war and those that did mostly ended up in the first few fleets. By the time we were commissioned we're just taking whoever the Andromeda Battlegroup didn't need."

"it's not ideal. We have fresh ships and inexperienced crews, we didn't even get to start our training mission!" The Admiral grunted.

"Whatever our choice I think we need to carry on with that." Zhou suggested. "Work our crews up and make them ready for action wherever we decide to fight."

"That sound good to you Colonel Meredia?"

"Perfectly." The Gamilan officer agreed. "My ships are veterans of the frontier battles with Gatlantis, while our vessels are less powerful my people know how to fight."

"What are your thoughts on this mess?"

"Grand Admiral Dietz placed me under your command Admiral Brand, while it was only supposed to be a training mission those orders still stand. I will follow your direction."

"Understood Colonel, but I'm still interested in your opinions."

"I'm a Battlefleet Commander Admiral, my job is to fight. The Gamilan Empire is vast and its soldiers varied, some are brave and noble, some ruthless and cunning, some cowardly and murderous. I learned my trade serving Eruk Domel, I followed his instructions and share his values. I have never fired on anyone who couldn't fire back, never bombed a civilian target, I always chose the hardest fights and challenged the strongest enemies because that is how I have always fought. Somebody has to take on these missions, better it is me and my fleet of elite warriors than some coward who will fail and run."

The Gamilan fleet commander smiled from under her piratical eyepatch.

"These Reapers are a massive foe, undefeated in recorded history. Their goals merciless and unfathomable ending in genocide. The odds are against us, our allies brave but outmatched, the enemy unrelenting and impossible to negotiate with. I won't lie Admiral, it is the war I have always relished. Fighting Gatlantis was glorious, this war will be every bit as worthy of my fleet's efforts."

"So you'd prefer to stay?"

"I go where ordered, both Gatlantis and the Reapers are enemies who demand slaughtering. I have no preference, but if we do stay I'd like to send a mission home. If Earth has a mirror here perhaps Gamilas has too."

"If we chose to stay that may be wise." Brand recognised. "So that brings us right back to square one. Fight or withdraw?"

"We can't win this war alone, and our potential allies aren't going to be much help aside from being bullet shields." Zhou grimaced. "If we get involved we're probably going to be worn down to nothing."

"We can make a difference here Admiral, and like Shepard says we have a responsibility to help, an obligation. We can help so we should." Devlin stated his own view. "We can't turn our back on these people and if we fight smart I think we can win this."

In the end then it fell on Admiral Brand to make a choice. There were good arguments on both sides, he had his duty to home, but he also had to recognise that he may never be able to make it home. There was no clean answer to what their future held, whether it would be here or whether this was an anomaly that would be quickly corrected.

Like most important decisions it came down to two simple choices. To leave or to fight. 


	8. 6

-6-

Arcturus System

SSV Anzio

Alliance Stealth Frigate.

In theory the Anzio was invisible, a black spot of emptiness surrounded by nothing, her electronic emissions, thermal signature, radiation, even light controlled suppressed and hidden. The amount of money spent on her to achieve this was considerable, her black hull containing enough advanced technology to pay for a ship twenty times bigger, but of course not nearly so subtle.

She was the third ship in the SR-1 Type, a younger sister to the original SSV Normandy that had earned her name a few years ago before being lost in action against the Collectors. She was smaller than the newer Normandy but had seen her technology upgraded based on the Alliance navy's study of the Ex-Cerberus heavy frigate. The Anzio had also been equipped with the latest sensor and data collection technology making her a natural scout ship built to sneak into an enemy star system and quietly observe with nobody any the wiser for her presence.

In theory.

In practice Commander Gianni Ravello wasn't so naïve as to put all his faith in technology. Even as upgraded as the Anzio was over the first Normandy he doubted the Reapers would be fooled so easily and consequently had no intention of taking any chances. Instead he used some common sense in addition to technology, he had rigged his ship for silent running with all windows blacked out and sealed, all comms disabled apart from a single station on the command deck and all systems shut down or running on the absolute minimum including life support. It meant the ship was cold inside, gravity was barely lunar average and the air noticeably thin. His crew were living off ration packs and MRE's as use of the galley to cook anything was forbidden, and of course he hadn't used his main engines since arriving.

He had let the Anzio drift for three days across the system in a journey that would have normally taken minutes under normal thrusters until they had reached their destination, the clumped wreckage of Arcturus Station. He had risked a few bursts on the retro thrusters to match the velocity of the main debris field gambling the exhaust would be hidden by the static discharges and fluctuations among the wreckage while the ship itself found cover. They would be just one more chunk of cold metal among the billions of tons where the station used to be.

It had apparently worked, either that or the Reapers had noticed him but dismissed the small ship as irrelevant. The Anzio has nestled in amongst the debris and set about its task monitoring enemy movements in the sector, especially travel toward Earth. Getting a ship into Sol itself was considered far too risky, Arcturus itself had been viewed as borderline suicidal, but given this system's strategic location and the number of relays feeding through the risk was judged worth taking.

They had silently observed the Reapers at work, vessels coming and going, troop transports and warships both. Once in a while they would see a civilian ship making a run from occupied territory. Sometimes they made it, sometimes they didn't. It was difficult to just sit and watch but this was a war like no other and the normal impulse to help and intervene had to be pushed back in favour of the greater mission.

This entire system was a monument to putting the mission above human instinct. At the start of the war a combination of Alliance fleets had tried to halt the Reapers here before they could reach Earth, a battle that had ended in disaster. As fleet commander Admiral Hackett had been forced to choose between fighting and probably losing most if not all of his forces, or retreating and abandoning not just the way to Earth but also the fifty thousand or so people on Arcturus station including his own leaders. By leaving he would be condemning them to certain death, but by staying even if he somehow won the cost in ships and lives would have robbed him of forces for future battles.

It was not an enviable choice but Hackett and chosen the wiser option and withdrawn once victory was seen to be impossible preserving what forces he could. Even so space here was littered with thousands of destroyed human warships in a scattered cloud of metal a few thousand miles from what had been Arcturus station.

The Anzio had quietly monitored for survivor beacons, escape pods, anything at all but none had been found. Instead they had settled to their grim and silent task watching the fall of mankind and hoping that each thump against the hull was a piece of the station and not one of its deceased inhabitants.

"Commander, detecting relay activity." The sensor officer spoke, her voice small despite the absurdity of the Reapers possibly hearing her. "It's the Shanxi relay."

"Analysis?" Ravello asked.

"Multiple incoming."

"Continue recording, if the Reapers are moving units through here they might be massing to hit another colony."

The sensors showed the core of the relay rotating faster as the travellers closed, blinking lights showing when the fleet of vessels arrived.

"They're not Reapers." The officer frowned. "Mass is much too small, checking records for a profile match."

"Is it Cerberus?" Ravello walked around to lean over her shoulder and look at the data. "They see to have some links to the Reapers."

"I don't think so, designs don't match anything on record. Picking up some strange energy readings. They're moving."

"Course?"

"They're going for the Earth Relay."

"They must be indoctrinated, no one would go to Earth willingly, not with just, how many, seven ships?"

"Yes sir, seven contacts, one light cruiser scale, six destroyer scale."

"Monitor them, if the Reapers are changing the way they gather..."

"New contact, Reaper warship!" The Sensor officer warned. "It's right next to us!"

The massive black form of a Reaper activated as if from nowhere and ploughed through the debris of the station at high speed entirely unfazed by the huge chunks of metal. It ha dbeen so close to the Anzio it left Ravello with a distinct feeling of hollow terror, it could have been watching them all this time. Several more Reapers joined it, including some others that had been dormant among the wreckage just a few thousand kilometres from the Anzio also completely undetected by the passive sensors of the frigate.

"Multiple Reapers on the move! They're intercepting the new ships!"

"How many?"

"Four capitals, sixteen destroyers, they're activating barriers and arming weapons."

"Poor bastards." Ravello grimaced as he watched the small fleet on the screen. "They must have stumbled in here by accident, or hoped speed would save them."

"Inbound fleet has activated barriers, sensors are having a hard time getting a clear reading. Energy spike, they're firing!"

Ravello held no expectation about the result, he had seen this before, the countless wrecked ships in this system told him what happened when someone tried to stand and fight the Reapers. Thousands of the best Alliance ships had tried and failed to stop them, direct confrontation was a losing proposition.

"Hit, ship destroyed." The report sounded. "Wait, wait..."

"What is it Lieutenant?"

"A Reaper. That explosion was a Reaper."

"What do you mean?"

"They just lost another, and another. What the hell?"

Ravello transferred the data to the main holographic display enlarging it to get a clear picture. Sure enough it showed Reaper vessels decreasing in number.

"Impossible, what's happening?"

"Reaper fleet is getting shredded, the new ships are using some sort of extremely high energy weapons. I can't get an exact read on it but readings are thousands of times greater than our weapons."

The figures confirmed it, the small force was hitting the Reapers with massive amounts of firepower, long beams of blue energy simply punching clean through the alien warships and tearing them apart as swiftly as they had ripped through the Alliance ships.

"Reapers down to two ships, one, that's it." The Lieutenant reported blankly with no idea what to make of events. "Reaper fleet destroyed, no losses to unknown unit."

It was impossible, unprecedented. None of it made sense but the sensors were operational, this wasn't a lie or a mistake. Someone had just annihilated more Reapers in twenty seconds than the entire Alliance had done in the war so far, and at no casualties to themselves. This might be the most important piece of data in the war, Ravello had to act.

"Helm, bring engines online, secure from silent running."

"Sir?"

"I know our mission has four more days left but I'm altering our objective. Take us up into clear space."

"Yes sir."

"Spin up the FTL drive, we're going to be getting out of here as soon as we confirm our data. Sensors, go full active, I want everything on those ships."

"Going active." She confirmed. "Sir, activity at the Earth Relay, ships incoming!"

"Number and type?"

"Reapers, lots of them."

Someone had clearly managed to send a distress signal as the new fleet had efficiently cut through the Reaper guard ships. They arrived in small numbers at first,the black grasping forms of the alien warmachines flashing into realspace one after another, and then by the dozen as the Reapers responded in force to this apparent threat. They immediately armed for combat and accelerated toward the small unknown fleet.

"How many?" Ravello demanded.

"Forty Capital class, eighty six destroyers!"

"Helm, can we jump?"

"Any second sir!"

"Standby, are they moving our way?"

"Negative sir, Reapers are going straight for the unknown fleet."

This was their chance to escape, maybe their only chance, Ravello couldn't believe he was about to do it but he fought the urge to run and instead decided to stay where he was despite the massive Reaper formation. This data was game changing and ultimately worth a little more risk. It was afterall his duty.

"Full power to sensors, record everything, jump as soon as it's over."

"Yes sir."

"Hope the Admiral appreciates this."

The Reapers flew headlong into a concentrated barrage of gunfire, well placed salvoes of blue energy cutting them down in rapid succession. It didn't matter if they were destroyers or capital class no ship in the formation survived more than two or three strikes before breaking up into glowing pieces. The incoming fleet didn't even slow down, it remained at full thrust daring the Reapers to challenge them head on and then punishing them for their arrogance.

Some Reapers returned fire but to no obvious effect, the shields surrounding the unknown vessels absorbing and deflecting the otherwise formidable Reaper beams.

The response was mechanical, the outnumbered ships dividing the Reaper group into sectors and efficiently erasing each part of the force piece by piece. It was mechanical, swift, and within a couple of minutes the system was once again clear of enemy ships.

"Did we get that?" Ravello asked.

"Every second."

"Unbelievable. Prepare to withdraw to Eden Prime, we'll link up with..."

"Commander, sir, incoming signal!" The Comms officer blurted. "It's from the fleet, it's in English."

Everyone went very, very quiet.

"Let's hear it."

He activated the channel, what seemed to be a human voice filling the speakers.

"Alliance Frigate this is Captain Jiang Zhou of the Battleship Arcadia. We invite you to travel through the Earth Relay with us, we can guarantee your safety."

"You're going to Earth?" Ravello forgot communications protocol, this wasn't a day to get caught up in rules.

"Correct Alliance Ship, if you come with us we'll give you a spectacle worth reporting."

It was a ridiculous idea, but it was also turning out to be a ridiculous day.

"Very well Arcadia, we're following your lead." Ravello agreed. "Helm, take us through the Earth Relay, and Saints preserve the brave and foolish."

So far everything had matched Captain Devlin's debrief, the Andromeda class had proven to be clearly superior to all enemy units with the smaller but still potent Dreadnought type Main Battleships just as capable. Zhou had been concerned it was a fluke, that the Reapers might have been caught out and Devlin had only met their rear echelon forces but given the one sided nature of the fight so far the data seemed accurate.

"Time to the Earth Relay?"

"Transition in forty seconds." His First Officer Commander Adele Kaur spoke clearly and sharply in clipped English. Highly educated Kaur had been a leading student of Anthropology at Mumbai University before the war and could still talk circles around nearly anyone in any debate. For now her formidable intellect focused entirely on the screens before her.

"Standby for immediate action, set main batteries to auto acquisition and firing."

"Shock cannons set, approaching Charon Relay."

Zhou braced, it had been a while since he had seen real combat, not since the closing months of the Gamilas war, so today was as much about him finding his warrior spirit again as it was giving this new enemy a bloody nose. His last battle had ended in disaster, he prayed this one would be better.

The Arcadia snapped out of FTL beside the relay, a heartbeat later her six battleship escorts arriving with guns already sweeping the sky for hostile contacts.

"No enemies in sight." Kaur reported. "Local airspace clear."

"The ships that tried to intercept us at Arcturus were probably the guard ships from here." Lieutenant Raff Malik the Weapons Officer reasoned.

"Probably, check sensors for enemy disposition."

"Reading trace contacts around the inner planets and Jupiter, major presence at Earth." Lieutenant Sam Walker read through. "Type and numbers consistent with Commander Shepard's data and predictions."

"Then our mission is authorised." Zhou determined. "Standby short range warp jump, put us outside Lunar orbit."

"Aye sir." Malik replied. "Plotting now."

"Sir, the Alliance Frigate from Arcturus just arrived." Kaur noted.

"Open a channel."

He took a moment while the system configured for old style radio waves, still the main form of civilian communication back on his version of Earth.

"Alliance vessel, be advised this force will now begin a raid on Earth."

"Arcadia, we're detecting over five hundred Reapers in orbit alone." The Captain of the Stealth Frigate replied.

"I am aware." Zhou replied steadily, his voice slipping easily into the clear tone of a commander. "Unfortunately we cannot destroy all enemy targets, our mission is to make a close pass, acquire as much information as possible, and to destroy any targets of opportunity encountered. We should be finished in five minutes or less, suggest you jump to a position near Earth but not too close, then rejoin us here for departure."

"Understood Arcadia, I can't say this is a great plan but we'll get closer, the data on Earth alone is worth the risk."

"We're here to send a message Captain, we'd appreciate you helping deliver it."

He closed the channel.

"Ready?"

"Engines primed."

"Make the jump to Earth."

*

Space distorted for a moment as gravity bulged light around it creating a pool of inky black rippling in the void. It held for a second before the sharp edged pale hulls of the Arcadia Task Force burst through the warped fabric of reality in a haze of frozen gases and energy.

"Transition complete, forty thousand kilometres above Luna." Kaur called out. "Enemy vessels in range, thirty plus in low Luna orbit."

Zhou gave a brief nod of acknowledgement, the Moon wasn't his main target but while he was here he may as well leave an impression.

"All ships engage targets around Luna, form defensive Phalanx and increase speed for Earth."

The Arcadia surged ahead with her six escorts forming a block behind her, three of them rotating through a hundred and eighty degrees to cover the vulnerable lower quarter of the formation. They were here for business and wasted no time getting to work, no hesitation or attempts to communicate. Their views would be delivered by other means today. As they passed by the Moon all vessels readied their guns, long barrels turning and raising to pick out targets, the various computers talking to each other to coordinate the best possible attack pattern and avoid overkill.

The Reapers were moving in response to the sudden threat but not quickly enough, the menacing vessels caught out of position by the unexpected attack.

"Weapons locked, targeting lower thorax region on enemy units." Malik announced. "Firing now."

Bright blue energy reached out with a crackle of power easily carving through the closest enemy units, each shot well placed and devastating. The guns followed up with a second salvo, then a third, the small fleet systematically bringing down whatever target was in range in a steady series of explosions. Not every Reaper was totally destroyed, sometimes they were just disabled but with the fleet on a time table they didn't have the opportunity to slow down and finish the job.

"We have a shot at the surface sir, permission to engage?"

"Do so." Zhou agreed. "How does it look down there?"

"Totally overrun, there are multiple domed habitats, all of them seem to be teeming with Reaper forces." Kaur shook her head. "I don't think there's much we can do here."

The Arcadia fired a few long range shots at the surface, the blue beams falling to catch a group of Reaper destroyers and a bombardment ship sitting near an abandoned city. It was satisfying to see the enemy vessels shredded, reduced to molten metal and fragments, but it was by now too late to help whatever scattered survivors were left on the satellite.

"We'll focus on Earth, maintain course and formation."

They reluctantly left the Moon behind them, a few glowing fires and slowly cooling wrecks sufficient for the prelude. Ahead was the main event, Earth itself surrounded by a wall of black warships.

"Sensors confirm six hundred and four enemy vessels in orbit, all of them capital class." Kaur reported.

"Too many to take on conventionally." Zhou frowned. "And they are too close to Earth to use Wave guns."

"They are holding position, not advancing." Kaur confirmed. "Do you think they are using the planet as cover sir?"

"If they saw what Devlin did to their friends at Palaven I'd say so. They learned." Zhou half smiled. "But we still have a few tricks to thin them out. Standby Graviton mine launchers."

Malik tapped a few controls bringing the quartet of twin mine launchers online, the stubby weapons rising up from under armoured plates at the front of the Arcadia.

"System charged, optimal target spread locked, it won't be the best pattern but it minimises risk to Earth."

"Understood, fire when ready."

The gravity mines were far less destructive than the Wave guns, a fairly simple weapon that caused a brief disruption in local gravity before releasing a considerable amount of energy with unfortunate effects for anything nearby. While simple in concept the technology behind it was cutting edge and brand new using micro singularities similar to those deployed by the wave guns, this would be the first combat use of the weapon.

The Arcadia fired eight crackling orbs of energy that passed into the Reaper formation at a preset distance and exploded in a brief initial release of energy as the containment fields collapsed. The first detonations wrecked several vessels but was only the prelude. A moment later the mines imploded, drawing back in all the energy they had just released into an intense pocket of local gravity. The sudden pull of gravity crushed any nearby Reapers like cheap cans, dragging the twisted remnants toward the heart of each implosion. Further out Reaper ships were subject to a vicious ripple of gravity that collapsed bulkheads and peeled away hull armour, in particular the articulated limbs proved a weak point with dozens of ships having the appendages torn off and dragged toward the shortlived gravity wells.

The final stage came when the small pockets of gravity could no longer sustain themselves, they lacked the mass of a true singularity and consequently fell apart releasing all the energy that they had stored when created. This was the true power of the mines, eight points of intense light illuminated the sky. Far below on Earth they briefly turned the gloom into bright daylight shining through the clouds of smoke hanging over major cities like a beacon impossible to miss. In orbit the Reapers already weakened by the gravity effects were shredded by the waves of energy and their remains contemptuously thrown aside.

"Detonation successful, estimate two hundred targets destroyed." Commander Kaur's eyes darted back and forth as she assimilated the data. "We've opened a major gap in the enemy formation."

"That gives us a clear run at Earth." Zhou could see the planet clearly through the ragged remains of the Reaper wall, the surface pocked with fires and destruction. "Take us straight through the middle, all guns, all batteries continuous fire. We've got them broken and scattered, we'll exploit it."

The Reapers were in no position to rapidly respond, the core of their formation had been torn out by an unexpected weapon and now their attackers were closing to finish the job. They began to consolidate, to regroup and send the untouched flanks forward to intercept the handful of EDF ships but it wasn't going to matter. The first Reapers to close in were met by a steady barrage of positron beams that passed through their defences without hindrance, their barriers and heavy armour worthless against the massive firepower of the human crewed warships.

The Arcadia battlegroup passed through the centre of the Reaper formation firing in all directions launching missiles, warheads and energy beams in every direction. They surrounded themselves with fire, their shields shrugging off the desolutory return fire and paying it back a thousand times over.

"We're clear, moving into Earth orbit."

"The enemy will be bringing in massive reinforcements so let's make this quick." Zhou ordered. "We perform one full orbit at high speed, I want sensors at full resolution, gather everything we can."

"Yes sir." Kaur acknowledged.

"Mr Walker, broadcast our pre-recorded message on all frequencies, let the people down there know they haven't been abandoned."

The Comms officer nodded and got to work.

"Mr Malik, use the sensor feeds to find any targets of opportunity and eliminate them. Enemy ships on the ground, troop concentrations, broadcast centres. Anything that looks expensive."

"Got it Captain."

"Prioritise Harvesting centres, use the data Shepard shared with us from the Turians." Zhou specified. "Forward batteries engage as you see fit, aft batteries continue firing on the Reaper warships up here, looks like they are trying to chase us down."

Sure enough the sensor readouts showed Reapers closing on them, the survivors of their initial attack rapidly moving toward them and attempting to swarm. Zhou didn't know if these machines felt anger but they looked pretty pissed off to him. The notion brought him a smile.

"Kill as many of them as possible."

The fleet held formation and entered orbit proudly, this wasn't a true homecoming and their time was all too brief, but for a few minutes at least human beings were once again ruling the skies. The pale grey ships looked for targets, drank in as much data as they could and levelled their weapons, gun turrets turning and missile bay doors popping open. There was a moment of pause as the targeting systems aligned, as the Reapers closed, as the fleet passed the terminator from day into night with the glow of the sun falling away behind them casting the small group into the shadow of the planet.

Then they began.

The flashes of gunfire lit up the ships and made them briefly visible from the ground, a steady twinkle in the sky, each tiny flash a salvo of tremendously powerful energy weapons. Some shots fell from the sky and speared targets on the ground, expertly striking Reaper warships as they stalked survivors on the ground and hunted Alliance military units. Missiles rained on those targets too far away for the guns to easily hit or where more precision was needed, the battleship squadron unloading a steady stream of torpedoes, missiles, cluster warheads and assorted projectiles.

Behind them the chasing Reapers ran into the same barrage, the aft turrets blasting the closest ships out of the sky in seas of flame. It didn't deter the pursuers, the Reapers charging through the flaming molten pieces of their brethren only to meet the same fate themselves as the Arcadia and her group maintained their fire.

Arcadia's orbit wasn't particularly low, they needed a lot of altitude to scan as much of the surface as possible, but even at this height Zhou could make out urban centres against the night shrouded planet. What should have been the lights of millions of homes, businesses, entertainment centres and streetlighting were now the glow of fires. Not many places still had functioning power, or if they did they were in blackout conditions to avoid Reaper attention.

It was a melancholy sight and while his fleet were adding more fires and destruction to an already ravaged world at least their targets were justified. He was well aware that each strike was probably killing innocent people, especially those held in the harvesters, but it was a grim necessity and in many cases a swift death would be far preferable to Reaper plans.

This wasn't his world, not truly, but it was a mirror of Earth at its height. He could see Beijing, Hong Kong, Shenzen, Chengdu and more, cities he had memorised from above in his youth and that no longer existed on his version of Earth, wiped clean by the Gamilan war. They would rise again of course, Beijing and Shanghai were already growing but they were echoes, not originals. Here those great cities still stood but under a fierce assault, they too could one day be dust and that made him angry on a deep level.

He hadn't been strong enough to save his home, none of them had until the very last moment but now was different. Now they had that strength, that power manifested in the grey and blue warships of the reborn Earth Federation. He took great satisfaction in the destruction, in every Reaper ship turned to wreckage, every base immolated in a plasma explosion, every inhuman structure erased from the face of the Earth. He had been unsure about committing to this war but now the choice was made he embraced it. Let the Reapers burn, he would happily pour fuel on that fire.

"Sensors show major Reaper incursions across the globe, all major cities show signs of battle." Kaur tried to summarise the data as it rolled in, her quick mind performing admirably. "Major military bases seem to have been destroyed from orbit, elevated radiation levels suggest nuclear strikes. Smaller cities are less affected, as are rural areas."

"Can we pinpoint any friendlies from up here?"

"Nothing obvious, probably well hidden to avoid Reaper attention. However I do have a decent amount of comms traffic being bounced around, nothing I can track but I'll have the computer look for key words."

"Mr Walker, are we broadcasting our own message?"

"Yes Captain, loud and clear."

"Mr Malik, drive the message home, we won't kill every Reaper but I want a good selection of targets, a few in every region, I want people to see these Reapers fall. Show them their enemy is not invincible."

The warships passed around back into daylight as the sun crested the circle of the Earth. Even in the destruction the seas sparkled and white clouds gleamed over the scorched Earth. The world was suffering but it was still beautiful, there was still so much to save and fight for. They took out a few more Reaper ships in orbit but maintained a focus on the ground to ensure as many people as possible saw their calling card. Between the Gravity Mines, the steady gunfire in low orbit and the planetary strikes near major population centres by now they had made an impression.

"Lots of additional comms traffic." Walker reported from his station. "Detecting some on military bands, some on civilian channels, lot of private lines. All talking about our attack."

"We're almost clear sir." Kaur reminded. "Setting jump coordinates."

"Remember to link up with the Alliance Frigate, we'll see them safe through the relay first then leave ourselves."

The sunlight danced on the grey hulls as they finished their orbit, a single revolution but sufficient to give the Reapers a harsh reminder of their place on the food chain. It reminded Zhou of their last view of his own Earth, rising into the light as the Task Forces had united and climbed away for their ill fated exercise.

"Enemy fleet?"

"No reinforcements yet but I wouldn't chance much longer."

"Very well, begin jump procedure." Zhou ordered. "Secure weapons, we'll take a few false turns to throw off pursuit before returning to base."

With a last violent salvo of crashing guns the battlegroup broke away and veered clear of Earth still holding formation. They vanished together into the distortions in space and time made by their warp engines and emerged closer to Pluto to rendezvous with their new ally before leaving.

On Earth they left a trail of destruction, precisely inflicted but grand none the less. The hollowed out wrecks of Reaper ships stood tall and cracked among the ruins they had made, burning and smoking. Armies of husks had been vaporised, their macabre and horrifying means of production laid waste by orbital strikes. It wasn't much, probably not even ten percent of the Reaper forces on Earth and they would be quickly replaced, but it was enough.

People saw the wrecks, they emerged from hiding to gaze at the lights falling from above. They stood upon ruins hungry and scared and witnessed their undefeated opponents slaughtered. They heard the blaring of the Reaper voices not in threat or intimidation this time but in anger and pain. The battered fighters waging their war saw a victory, however brief, and knew this was not the slaughter they had lived until today. From now on this was a real war.

"People of Earth, you are not forgotten. This world has beeninvaded like so many others, your losses have been great, your suffering beyond words. But you have endured and survived to this point. You must keep enduring, keep surviving, we will return for you.

The enemy is great and we are still gathering our strength, finding our allies, seeking weaknesses. But we are striking back, we are hurting the Reapers as they hurt us. We need time, and we need you to endure so when we return you can rise with us to take back our home.

You are not forgotten, fight and survive here as we make our way back to you with the strength to win this war. You are not forgotten, we will return."

*

SSV Aconcagua

Unknown Location

Away from the Main Relays

"Admiral, I have a contact, IFF reads SSV Normandy."

"Right on time." Admiral Hackett muttered mostly to himself.

"They are requesting docking clearance and an urgent meeting."

"Approve it." Hackett nodded. "If Shepard's got anything on the Palaven situation I want him in the conference room in three minutes flat."

"Aye sir."

The last couple of days had been a rollercoaster to say the least, from a string of massive defeats, losing vast chunks of the Alliance Fleet in hopeless battle and abandoning Earth itself to suddenly seeing reports of a power that could erase hundreds of Reaper ships in one shot. Hackett needed some straight answers and Shepard seemed to have them. Despite their secure comms Shepard had insisted on a face to face meeting, the information he had was apparently so game changing that this was the only way to do it.

It was inconvenient, the Crucible Project had only recently started, the manufacture of an untested Prothean super weapon detailed within data recovered by Liara T'soni and Shepard from the Mars Archives from under the noses of their enemies. Hackett had considered it the only real hope of victory, no conventional weapons or forces had stood a chance against the Reapers, but now suddenly Shepard might have found an additional option.

"Normandy coming alongside."

"I'll see them at the airlock. Captain Kristov, the bridge is yours."

It didn't take long for Hackett to move down to the docking port, the Dreadnought he commanded dwarfing the advanced frigate matching velocity and pulling in alongside. Both vessels represented the pinnacle of human technology in their respective fields and were among the finest weapons available to the galaxy in this war. That they had been so ineffective thus far had been a devastating blow.

Hackett arrived with a marine already standing by as was standard procedure in time of war, there was no telling that the people arriving were truly who they claimed to be.

"Four individuals, one confirmed as Commander Shepard." The Marine reported. "Scans show one Krogan, one Turian and one more human."

"Very well, open it up."

With a clank the locks disengaged allowing the inner airlock doors to open. As expected there was Commander Shepard in Alliance Navy fatigues, beside him Hackett recognised Primarch Victus from recent reports which was a welcome sight, he'd been looking forward to more coordination with the Turians. The Krogan he recognised as Urdnot Wrex, one of the big players on Tuchanka which was again welcome, but the fourth member of the party was a mystery. A middle aged man in what seemed to be a Naval uniform but not one he recognised.

"Admiral Hackett, permission to come aboard sir." Shepard formally requested.

"Granted Commander, welcome to the Aconcagua." Hackett nodded. "And welcome to your distinguished guests too."

"Do we have a secure location to talk Admiral?" Shepard asked with a hint of haste in his voice.

"This way, I have a conference room prepared."

They spoke little until they entered the room sealing the doors behind them.

"This room is sealed and secure, you can speak freely." Hackett folded his arms. "This is going to be one hell of a debrief Shepard."

"Yes it is sir." The Commander exhaled. "I take it you recognise Primarch Victus and Battlemaster Wrex?"

"I do, I assume you are representing your worlds at the summit Shepard is getting ready."

"Right." Wrex spoke in standard gruff Krogan voice. "Nice smooth negotiations so far, provided I get what I want."

"You won't have met my third guest, Admiral Alan Brand, this is Admiral Steven Hackett, effective commander of all remaining Alliance forces."

"Welcome aboard." Hackett extended his hand. "Are you from somewhere in the Terminus systems? A colonial fleet?"

"A little further out than that." Brand shook hands.

"The ship that engaged the Reapers at Palaven was one of Admiral Brand's command." Shepard explained. "And whatever you've seen is true sir, we managed to destroy hundreds of Reaper vessels with a single warship."

Hackett stood for a long moment of silence, reports had been vague and to his mind greatly exaggerated. He had expected some sort of Turian super weapon, a grand cannon embedded in the surface of Menae. This was something different.

"It's true I saw it myself." Victus added. "I still don't really believe it, but it happened."

"And I'm damn sorry I missed it." Wrex huffed. "You better be sure I'll catch the next one."

"My forces aren't from local space." Brand prepared himself for the explanation. "We're from a parallel universe, a different dimension, part of the multiverse, a mirror reality... honestly I don't know Admiral, I'm a fighter pilot turned Carrier Commander, I'm no scientist, all I know is we got caught in a freak event and ended up here."

"Different universe?" Hackett glanced at Shepard.

"My exact reaction sir." Shepard recognised. "But I've fought with them and I've visited their home base. It's unique. There's nothing I've seen that indicates a lie, nothing that offers any hard facts or answers either, but no lies."

"My engineers and specialists think that because our method of faster than light travel requires punching into a sub dimension our accident happened when an exceptionally powerful set of engines punched too deep and took us clean through the barriers between parallel dimensions, not just to subspace." Brand offered. "Maybe your scientists can figure out more, I have no issue sharing our data."

"I appreciate the openness but our scientists are going to be very busy for a long while."

"Project Crucible." Victus understood. "I'll be bringing in some resources from the Hierarchy to assist."

"Appreciated Primarch." Hackett nodded before turning back to Brand. He was a practical man, a man of deeds and right now he was so far beyond his limits he knew he wasn't going to be grasping this anytime soon. All he knew were the facts before him, a potential ally that Shepard had found with power to change the war.

"Honestly Admiral right now I don't care if you are from another reality, a distant galaxy or the dreams of a kid in a coma, I need something that lets us fight back and it looks like you have that. If Shepard says you're on our side and reliable I'm not going to dispute him."

"Glad to hear that." The EDF Admiral nodded. "As a gesture of our commitment a few hours ago I authorised a raid on Earth."

"Earth?" Hackett raised an eyebrow.

"One of my task groups will make a quick pass of the planet, gather as much intel as possible and destroy any targets they can." Brand expanded. "I don't have the numbers or resources to start retaking major worlds Admiral, we can help you, strengthen your fleets and lead attacks, but this is still your war. We can only help, we can't win it alone."

"If you can do anything for Earth it will be a major boost to morale and it'll prove Palaven wasn't a bluff or fluke." Hackett acknowledged. "I'd like some more information on what you have, what you can offer."

"I have some briefings already prepared." Brand took a data card from his pocket. "It may take some time to list."

"For this I can make time."

"We also have some needs ourselves, raw materials to make more missiles, aviation fuel, that sort of thing."

"We can talk about that." Hackett agreed, then paused. "Has anyone told the Council?"

"Already in hand, I sent Liara." Shepard assured. "Along with Admiral Brand's second in command. I thought it better the Admiral himself coordinate directly with you sir."

"Understandable, and I don't envy your second in command dealing with the council."

"I'm sure she can handle it."

"Is she skilled at diplomacy?"

"Well..."

Citadel Station

Liara had to keep skipping into a trot to keep up with the long legged Gamilan officer who was tearing up through the corridors toward the council chamber with single minded purpose. Colonel Meredia was an imposing presence even unarmed, tall and wearing her piratical eyepatch and long scar down her face, the remaining eye scouting the area and glaring at anyone in her way. Her tall boots thumped on the floor like an angry drumbeat and to top the image her cloak fluttered behind her given life by the speed at which she travelled. Liara secretly suspected her swift pace was carefully measured for maximum cloak billow.

It was an image, a first impression that was indelible and unforgettable which was precisely the point. Colonel Meredia was larger than life, she embraced the drama of her appearance and used it to inspire and motivate, and when needed to intimidate. She knew the Citadel Council was important but not as vital as the military commanders of each great power, while Admiral Brand held a summit with Krogan, Turian and Human leaders it fell to her to brief the Council. Shepard had warned her of the bickering, the point scoring and distrust that surrounded the Council which had simply made her smile. She'd spent years handling the Gamilan nobility and the grafters among the officer corps. This was going to be nothing.

A pair of C-Sec guards opened they way for them allowing Meredia and Liara to enter the chambers, golden leafed trees standing in the exquisite gardens surrounding them as they made their way up to the balustrade where the four members of the council stood. Even as they approached they could see the council arguing among themselves.

"Do they always get on this well?" Meredia asked over her shoulder.

"This is better than most days, at least they are looking at each other." Liara shrugged as they halted in the presence of the four councillors. They eventually stopped long enough to view the new arrivals.

"Doctor T'soni, glad to see you again." Asari Councilor Tevos welcomed with some sincerity. "Your loss would be a loss to all Asari."

"You are too kind." She replied gracefully. "May I introduce..."

"Where's Shepard?" Udina barked. "Why did he send you?"

"He is currently negotiating with a powerful ally, one who is also represented by my guest Colonel..."

"What the hell is he doing? I send him to Menae to help the Turians and he blows up half the system! Then vanishes!"

"I was the one who requested his help." The Turian, Councilor Sparatus interjected. "I need to see his report first, whatever this power was we deserve to know!"

"If I may introduce..." Liara was cut off again.

"Something that destroys hundreds of Reapers?" Councilor Valern of the Salarians cut in. "There's no weapon like that in the galaxy, we would know."

"Your famed STG teams and their legendary spies?" Udina dismissed. "Good work predicting this shit show we're in now!"

Liara raised her hands.

"If you will listen for a minute I can answer..."

"So where did Shepard get this power?" Tevos pushed. "What weapons are the humans hiding Udina?"

"It wasn't one of ours, if it was I wouldn't be stood here arguing while my species is slaughtered! We would have smashed the Reapers at Earth and now be working through the rest!"

"The Asari are known to have hoarded secrets before, are you hiding technology now?" Sparatus accused. "Or perhaps this disbelief is a trick to divert attention from our Salarian friends?"

"You would dare accure us?"

"Somebody is hiding the truth!"

Meredia exhaled as the arguments went on, Liara giving her an apologetic shrug.

"They don't listen, even when you are trying to help."

"So I see." Meredia looked around. "I have better things to do, and so do you."

The Colonel walked over to the edge of the platform they were on, a rail ran around the edge with clear glass beneath it. She looked at the glass for a while, then smiled and drew back her booted foot.

"Colonel, I'm not sure if that's wise." Liara winced.

The Gamilan just smiled even wider, then kicked out the nearest pane of glass with a sudden sharp crash that finally and immediately silenced the council, all four of them snapping their attention to the cloaked Colonel.

"Enough bickering! You are leaders! This sounds like a gods damned hen house! You do nothing but cluck angrily! You agree to speak with Dr T'soni and promptly ignore her, you have not even allowed my introduction! I would challenge you all to a duel for this dishonour if I did not wish to have to clean my blade after. You want answers? I have them, but I will not stand here and be interrogated!"

She folded her arms and glared with her remaining eye.

"I am Colonel Ilin Meredia of the Great Gamilas Star Empire, I have been appointed Second in Command of the fleet which sent forces to Palaven and more recently Earth."

"Earth, you went to Earth?" Udina spluttered. "I didn't approve..."

"You will speak when I am finished!" Meredia roared. "Do not imagine your authority means anything to me! You need me far more than I need you and all your squawking and posturing will not change that!"

She exhaled and smiled.

"Now, I am authorised to brief you on my fleet, it's abilities, and our willingness to assist you in this war. We will coordinate with your militaries, fight to defend your worlds, and do all we can to destroy Reapers. But we do it as partners, not subordinates. To that end I'm not going to stand down here and look up to you in some sort of power game. I'm heading to Conference Room three, if you wish to talk find me there. If not stay here and cluck."

She spun on her heel and stormed away, boots clicking and cloak billowing in another perfect image of a dashing warship commander. Liara quickly joined her, the two turning along the path and leaving the council in silence behind them.

"What do you think?" Meredia asked quietly.

"I want your babies." Liara replied simply. "I don't think even Shepard yelled at them like that. It was wonderful, I wish I'd thought to record it."

"I can understand why Shepard wanted to bypass them and talk directly to the leaders in the field. This Council is useless."

"They're scared."

"Everyone is scared, not everyone lets it overpower them." Meredia huffed. "Will they talk with me?"

"Guaranteed, they won't miss the opportunity." Liara assessed. "They might put on a show to help heal their pride but they aren't fools, they know they need help and they know you're the only one offering it."

"Perhaps something productive will come from this then." Meredia nodded firmly. "I have no idea where this conference room is by the way, I was just making a spectacular exit."

"Third door to the left." Liara chuckled and grinned widely. "It was a very grand exit."

"Part of my reputation, a symbol is greater than a person it takes a lot more to kill you."

"I think Shepard would agree, legends are hard to kill."

"Still working on the legend part, but give it time." Meredia half smiled. "I'm still in my dashing young phase."

"This war will have need of legends." Liara let her mind wander. "I hope we can bring enough."

"It's a good fight, a worthy one. Legend or not we're here now. Soon everyone is going to know it."

*

SSV Normandy  
Conference Room.

"Overall I think that went well." Admiral Brand allowed a note of optimism. "Admiral Hackett is a practical man, I think we'll get on well in the future."

"He knows the job he has to do is virtually impossible, he's not going to ignore help just because he doesn't fully understand the origins." Shepard reasoned out. "It's why I thought you should meet face to face, Hackett wants to know who he is working with, weigh their character. By sending your forces into action on our behalf it told him more than any explanation could."

"Thanks for bringing me then Commander."

"Least I could do Admiral." Shepard nodded. "What do you think of the Normandy by the way?"

"Looks like it cost half the naval budget." Brand grinned. "Looks incredible, and your holographic interfaces are a few steps ahead of ours."

"You mean the hard light interface? Benefits of Mass Effect Technology."

"Along with Omni Tools." Brand nodded. "A few of my officers have expressed an interest in some of your gear, Brigadier Hart who commands our Marine contingent is very interested in personal shields."

"It's common technology so I can't see anyone refusing to make some examples available. We are officially allies now."

"Yes we are, I wasn't sure at first but Meredia was right. This is a cause worth fighting for and we can't in good conscience ignore it."

A chime signalled a message coming through for Shepard.

"Joker, go ahead."

"Commander, an EDF Cruiser is coming up alongside, IFF says she's the Cydonia."

"That's my ride." Brand nodded.

"Begin docking procedure." Shepard ordered. "I'll see the Admiral to the airlock."

"Copy that."

"Most of my ships are still under repair or working up but more and more are declaring themselves operational." Brand followed Shepard to the CiC. "Give it a week or two and we can start really making an impact."

"It's gonna be a sight to see." Shepard smiled widely. "I've seen what one of your ships can do, can't wait to see a hundred of them in action."

"We'll do our part, next step will be for us to join up with one of your fleets, work out some coordination, see how we operate and make sure that when the time comes we can work as one unit." Brand commented. "Should be easy enough, we're both professional navies with plenty of experience. With your strength and our weapons it'll be a perfect combination. Sledgehammer and scalpel."

They walked through the command deck and halted at the airlock, waiting a few moments for it to cycle.

"Look forward to working with you again Commander." Brand reached out a hand. "You certainly get things done."

"One of my talents." Shepard shook hands. "Hell of a job ahead Admiral, but I'm glad we're facing it together."

The doors opened allowing the Admiral to depart back to his fleet. In the other direction arrived Liara who couldn't hide a moment of joy at meeting Shepard again.

"Commander."

"Welcome back, how was the Council?"

"It was a... memorable discussion. Colonel Meredia is formidable, she speaks plainly and is focused entirely on making things happen. Reminds me of someone not a million miles away."

"I could never get the Council to listen."

"Meredia did, but they had to swallow a lot of pride. I think they are realising how desperate the situation truly is."

"About time." The Commander grimaced. "But they still aren't uniting, they're keeping their fleets back, guarding only their own holdings. Can't they see the Reapers will just chew us up piecemeal if we don't unite?"

"I don't know, perhaps, they are still scared. They need something to rally behind, some source of hope."

"Maybe we can deliver exactly that with our new allies."

"Speaking of there's another addition to the crew."

Waiting in the doorway of the airlock patiently was Varhana, the tall and slender Jirel woman looking very out of place in a long white dress that covered almost her entire body from neck to ankles. She looked entirely ethereal, exactly like a type of space witch.

"Major General Anagrain, Jirel Royal Navy, requesting permission to come aboard."

"Of course, please." Shepard gestured. "Glad you could make it."

"I'm happy to be here, I haven't been on a ship in years, I'm quite enjoying it."

She gingerly stepped onto the Normandy, carefully looking around.

"This ship looks very advanced, much cleaner than the one's I'm used to."

"We try to maintain standards even in the current crisis. Did you have any baggage?"

"No, I didn't think I needed anything else for a mission like this. I thought about my old uniform but I'm just here as a civilian in your care Commander."

"We've set aside some quarters on the starboard side, I'll take you down there."

"Thank you Commander."

"I'll leave you to settle in Liara, come find me later if you have anything we need to discuss."  
"I will." She nodded. "And welcome aboard General."

"Just Varhana please, I suppose I'm retired these days."

Liara parted with a well intentioned nod while Shepard took the Jirel across the CiC.

"Your control systems are fascinating, holographic?"

"Hard light." Shepard chuckled. "Admiral Brand was also taken by them, it's something we can probably share as we go on."

"We had holographic interfaces but the controls were old fashioned touch screens and switches. Never really moved beyond them." Varhana observed as they arrived at the lift.

"Regent Ida said you commanded a warship?"

"Yes, a small task force." The lift began to move. "A battleship, a few cruisers, dozen destroyers."

"So you have combat experience?" Shepard asked. "You've led ships in battle?"

"I have." She broke into a smile. "Thinking of offering me another job?"

"You read my mind." Shepard chuckled, then suddenly frowned. "Did you actually..."

"No, as Ida said we have rules about that. Delving into thoughts is not usually allowed, especially not with friends and allies."

Glad to hear it. I mean..."

"It's alright Commander, people get nervous when they think others may learn their secrets. That fear can push people to do terrible things. My planet is a testament to that, but you Commander, you offer me a place on your ship, trust me with an important role in your mission. I will not betray that trust Commander, and I won't jeopardise your mission. I know what you are fighting for, that is why I am here."

She stood quietly for a moment.

"Are all your lifts this slow?"

"At least it lets us talk."

The doors opened on the crew deck allowing Shepard to lead Varhana to her quarters at the side of the ship.

"I thought you might appreciate this spot, an observation lounge." Shepard walked over and opened the window shutters. "We had an Asari Justicar in here once, she appreciated the view."

"Beautiful." Varhana looked out at the stars. "Thank you Commander, a quiet open space like this is important for preparation."

"To help centre your telepathy?"

"Exactly." Varhana strolled around the room. "Not so important for just a lie detection but useful if something unexpected comes up."

"What exactly can you do? Ida called you a War Witch."

"An archaic term from when my people were still hitting each other with swords but not inaccurate. I can if needed overload a brain, burst blood vessels, bring on a stroke or aneurysm, that sort of thing. But my main role was disrupting enemy command and control in large scale battles. I could affect the mind of an enemy commander and make him issue the wrong orders, slow down his responses. I could make a helmsman fail to evade an incoming salvo, or have a gunnery officer set the wrong firing solution."

"That is useful."

"Not nearly so impressive as some of my people can manage, a fully trained High Priest for example can create a dream world indistinguishable from reality. Ida for one could hold dozens of people in an illusion for hours if she wanted, that would be the pinnacle of any Jirel but very few reach that level."

"But that isn't your skill?"

"No, I'm not on that level. But Ida requires a lot of peace and concentration to weave her dreams, I can use my skills in the middle of a battle while also issuing commands to my crew or using a weapon."  
"So multitasking?"

"More or less." She accepted. "A lot of people have said the mind is a weapon, in my case very literally."

"Ida said you were the one who rescued her people, that everyone on Lyonesse is only there because of you."

"True enough." Varhana nodded. "But since then children have been born so not everyone arrived on my ship. Life goes on."

"What happened to your vessel?"

That drew a frown.

"Sorry." Shepard apologised. "I lost my first command not long ago."

"It's alright. My ship was called the Excelion, she was advanced but didn't have the raw power of these EDF ships and their Iscandarian weapons. We were engaging Gamilan forces beyond our borders when they hit our homeworld, by the time we made it home it was over. We detected some life signs and fought our way through the Gamilan bombardment force. I took the Excelion down to pick up survivors while my escorts held back the enemy. By the time I was done my fleet had been wiped out defending us."

She glanced out the window.

"We ran the blockade alone, we had shields but one ship can't take on a whole fleet. I was trying to run telepathic interference in the centre of the ship while my second in command ran the bridge. We built up enough power to jump but by then shields were failing, weapons gone, the Excelion was getting shot to pieces. My XO diverted all shield power to the areas with civilians and jumped, unfortunately the reactor surge during the jump irradiated all the unshielded areas. All of my crew took a fatal dose, but the civilians survived."

"I'm sorry, it was an incredible sacrifice."

"I fared a little better in the heart of the ship, but I still took a dose too. I won't make it to middle age." She shrugged and dismissed it. "But we got to safety, Ida directed us to the sanctuary planet and that was all. The Excelion is underground somewhere, but she's too shot to pieces to fly again, her reactor is too unstable. She's just a memorial now."

"You and your crew gave everything to get those people to safety, your sacrifice saved your species." Shepard said simply. "Someday I might have to do the same thing."

"The reason I am here is so that day never comes Commander." Varhana spoke with absolute sincerity. "If I had known about the other version of Earth I would have fought for them too, but luckily for them Iscandar helped instead. You don't have that option Commander, and your enemy is extremely dangerous."

"I'm glad to have you aboard."

"I won't fail you." She promised. "Now, I better read up on the situation. Do you have any reports or briefings I can use?"

"The terminal there should have everything." Shepard pointed. "We won't arrive until tomorrow."

"Plenty of time." She walked over and activated the screen. "Nice interface."

"I'll leave you to it, if you need anything you can use that screen to tag me."

"Thanks again for the opportunity Commander. I'm under strict rules of engagement here, Regent Ida doesn't want me to actually fight which I argued against, but she is adamant."

"Don't worry, this isn't a combat mission. Just a pick up."

"Alright Commander, just so we're clear, if it goes bad I can't help you." She smiled slightly. "Well, maybe just a little."

"I'll be taking a full team, we can handle anything." Shepard reassured. "I'll leave you to the briefings."  
"Speak later Commander."

Varhana began to scroll through basic information on the situation, about the Krogan, their history, the Genophage and Salarian involvement. Shepard was right, it was a secure location and it was probably going to be a simple assignment. Still, there was a chance something could go wrong, and that thought brought a tiny glimmer of joy to Varhana.

She was ready to get back into the game. 


	9. 7

-7-

Sur'kesh

Homeworld of the Salarians

For a mission which was supposed to be a simple pick up the air in the shuttle had never been more tense as it bumped through the upper atmosphere. Even before missions where success was unlikely and death almost certain there had never been quite this flavour of calamity permeating the hollow metal box wrapped around them. It wasn't so much the mission itself though that had its own complications, rather it was the team Shepard had brought along. In hindsight he should have predicted it.

His core team was reliable as always, Garrus was unflappable as always maintaining that unique mixture of easy going competence. For this mission he had also brought along Edi's new robot body recovered from Mars and reconfigured by the advanced AI who was now controlling it from orbit like a puppet. A surprisingly shapely puppet which had gained some popularity among certain sections of the Normandy crew. Joker especially.

He also had Wrex on the team which was a given, picking up the Krogan female held on Sur'kesh was his business and he deserved to be there when it happened. Alongside him was Major Hayes of the EDF representing his fleet with his ongoing mission to gather details on this new galaxy for his command. Likewise Captain Bless of Gamilas had similar orders and Shepard was happy to facilitate them, both were competent soldiers who had proven themselves on Menae and brought some useful capabilities to the team.

The final guest was Varhana Anagrain, War Witch of Jirel and his secret weapon when dealing with the notoriously deceptive STG, his walking lie detector thanks to her telepathy. All of them were valuable and this was a good simple mission to show them more of the galaxy and the work Shepard was doing. His miscalculation was forgetting that while Regent Ida had been accepting of the Gamilans that didn't mean the others of her world would be.

The sheer hate crackling between Varhana and Bless was palpable, as if either one of them was a mere instant away from putting a bullet between the other one's eyes. It was an oversight and he kicked himself for missing it but it was too late now.

"We're on final approach." Cortez called back from the controls. "Couple of minutes."

"Sooner the better." Rumbled Wrex. "Things never go simple with Salarians."

"That include eating them?" Garrus took an open shot.

"Gristly." The Krogan ran with it. "Next time I'll try frying."

They both watched with barely disguised amusement as both Edi and Major Hayes tilted their heads at the exact same moment and raised the exact same eyebrow.

"So." Wrex moved on. "What's with those two?" He jabbed a thumb at the two women glaring fiercely at each other.

"Ever tactful." Garrus grinned. "In fact I think you've been taking lessons."

"One species destroyed the homeworld of the other." Shepard answered flatly.

"That'll do it." Wrex kept watching them. "My money is on the grey one."

"She's unarmed."

"With that amount of rage you're always armed. Trust me, I'm a Krogan."

"As long as it's not in here, way too cramped for a deathmatch." Garrus followed on.

"There won't be any problems." Varhana suddenly spoke. "Not on this mission, I would not embarrass the Commander with such poor discipline."

She smiled icily at the Gamilan.

"I can wait."

"Any time Witch." Bless sneered back.

"It really could be any time, any where." The Jirel nodded in casual agreement. "You won't be the first Gamilan I've killed, I stopped counting. I only remember the ones who died creatively and I think I'll have something special for you."

"Enough." Shepard stepped in. "For as long as you are on my team I expect you to keep it civil. This mission is critical, if either of you cannot obey my orders let me know right now."

"No problem here Commander." Bless nodded. "I will not dishonour the Colonel or betray the trust she has placed in me."

"I'll do what I promised, but that is all." Varhana agreed. "I'll let you know what the truth is here, and I have promised Regent Ida not to kill anyone. Even a Gamilan. For now anyway."

"Then we're still a go, you are both professionals, I expect you to act like it."

He exhaled and turned back to Wrex.

"If not I'll feed you to the Krogan."

Varhana laughed, Bless looked a little concerned.

"Commander." Cortez interrupted. "We might have a problem, the Salarian base is waving us off, they say we don't have permission to land."

"We have clearance from the Dalatrass herself."

"They're still refusing."

Wrex grunted.

"Told you, damn Salarians."

He slammed a fist into the door controls opening them up above the landing platform before wracking his shotgun.

"Wrex, I know you're not about to do something really stupid..."

"Me? Nah." He croaked a laugh and then jumped out and landed with a crash on the Salarian base.

"I read about Krogan." Hayes picked up his rifle. "Seems about right."

"I guess we're fighting then." Bless took her own carbine up.

"Not yet." Shepard waved them back and swiftly leapt down as several laser sights from emplaced snipers tracked the team.

"Easy Wrex."

"Stand down! Stand down!" A salarian darted forward from further back in the base waving his arms at both sides. "It's alright, we're clear, everyone stand down!"

With a further glance at Shepard Wrex complied, as he lowered his weapon so the snipers also stood down diffusing the potentially incendiary situation. That was much closer than Shepard liked, especially for an apparently peaceful operation.

"Commander Shepard, we only found out about this a few moments ago!" The mildly panicked Salarian Officer spoke quickly, slightly out of breath either from running up here or at the thought of a diplomatic disaster on his watch.

"Understood." Shepard eased the situation. "You have something here that belongs to Wrex."

"Something worth dying for." The old Krogan jutted out his chin defiantly. "The last hope for my people."

"This matter can be resolved but I must insist he," He waved at Wrex, "remain under guard."

That was good enough, Shepard gave Wrex a straight look holding eye contact.

"I've got this."

The Krogan held it for a while, then agreed placing his faith in the human.

"Fine, but if anything goes bad all bets are off."

With a final glare and a sharkish grin at the small gaggle of Salarians facing him Wrex relaxed and stood aside clearing the way for the rest of the team.

With the situation easing Shepard joined the Salarian officer who led him from the pad. The facility itself was built on the side of a lush steep valley, a series of gleaming terraces open to the humid air of the Salarian homeworld. Numerous individuals worked around them, a mix of scientists, technicians and well armed guards.

"I appreciate your understanding Commander, I'm Padok Wiks." The lead Salarian finally found a moment to introduce himself. Like most Salarians he spoke fast with brief sentences conveying information as efficiently as possible. All Salarians seemed to be in a hurry, perhaps wisely so given their relatively short life span.

"With the war everyone is on edge." He offered apologetically. Shepard recalled the Salarians hadn't been hit hard yet, just a few skirmishes, but it was only a matter of time.

"Do you have the female Krogan here?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, they were in poor condition when we found them on Tuchanka. We brought them here to stabilise them."

"I'd like to see them."

"Of course, give me a few moments to clear it."

The team dispersed a little as Wiks contacted the research labs, the new arrivals taking the time to look around.

"Why females?" Major Hayes asked. "I mean these specific ones?"

"They were cured of the genophage." Garrus answered.

"A disease?"

"In a way." Edi replied. "The Krogan species reproduced at a prodigious rate, after a large war several centuries ago with the other council races the Salarians developed a way to significantly reduce their birthrate. A genetic alteration which means most Krogan are now stillborn."

"Better than exterminating them." Garrus shrugged. "But it also affected Krogan culture, Wrex believes curing it will allow his people to set aside their more angry and brutal ways and become a great civilisation again."

"Others believe it will just give them the army they need to crush all other races." Edi noted. "Curing the genophage is not well supported."

"But if we want the Krogan in this war then this is the price, and we want them in this war. We need them."

"If the Salarians did this they probably don't want it fixed right?" Hayes checked.

"Their government doesn't, no, if Shepard does it we might alienate them." Garrus confirmed. "It's a gamble, and part of that gamble is getting the Krogan females out of here in the first place."

This place was oppressively humid, even with the cooling systems in his battle gear Shepard was getting hot. He could hear Wrex arguing, the others talking about history and politics. Varhana was peering over the edge of the terrace at the jungles and teeming wildlife leaving just Henna Bless, the Gamilan Commando furtively seeking out the Commander.

"Do you have a moment to speak quietly Commander?"

"Looks like." He checked over to see what progress Wiks had made, the STG operative still on the comms line. "If you're worried about what happened in the shuttle..."

"No, nothing like that, you are the mission commander and your orders are absolute. I'll obey to the death." Bless dismissed. "But I do want to talk about her."

She didn't need to specify further.

"Go on."

"What do you know of her?"

"She's a war witch, only one left as far as anyone knows." Shepard answered. "Regent Ida didn't want her to leave, maybe she's being over protective of her people, maybe something else."

"Do you know what she did after the war? After the fall of her planet?"

"She was the one who evacuated them to Lyonesse. She lost her crew in the process and had her own life shortened but everyone on that world owes her their lives."

"I see."

"You sound doubtful."

"It's just... after the attack we hunted down any survivors, we never got them all but we accounted for their entire navy. Except one ship, a battleship, and a single war witch."

"I think your search is over."

"That's what concerns me."

The Gamilan checked over her shoulder to see Varhana still engrossed in the scenery.

"The vessel we couldn't account for didn't just vanish, not at first. We started losing ships, then convoys. Someone was raiding our forces near Jirel, not pirates though, too professional and powerful. It had to be a warship."

"The missing Jirel battleship?"

"We confirmed it not long after, once it began attacking colonies." Bless intoned. "Wiping out isolated settlements, mines, stations. Then small border worlds and entire colonies."

"A single ship?"

"The Jirel were advanced but one ship shouldn't have been enough. They didn't overpower our defences, they turned our people against themselves. Telepathy Commander, but on a vast scale."

"Are the Jirel able to do that?"

"Alone? no. But there are pieces of ancient technology that enhance telepathy and we know the Jirel had access to a lot of it. We analysed some pieces, they can enhance and project telepathic effects over a wide area. We believe the Jirel ship had such a device and someone powerful enough to use it. Like the unaccounted for war witch."

Bless pursed her lips.

"One of my first missions as a junior officer was to investigate a colony that went dark. They were all dead, not from bombardment or bioweapons, they killed each other or themselves. They used any weapon they had, knives, sticks, bare hands, teeth. They tortured each other and themselves, they mutilated..." She broke off, the usually icy soldier needing a moment of composure.

"If it's her, if she is the missing war witch who wiped out our colonies then we are all in terrible danger. She is beyond insane, the things she made innocent people do, men, women and children Commander, no one who allows that is stable."

She glanced over to see Varana a dozen metres away staring their way with a smile. She waved cheerfully as they locked eyes, a gesture which of course was not designed to convey joy.

"It can't be a coincidence Commander. Be careful, I don't think she is what she says she is." Bless warned warily. "She's a monster."

"Commander." Wiks waved him over interrupting Shepards slightly unnerved train of thought. "You're clear to head down to the labs."

He pulled his mind together and put it back on task. He had a mission in front of him and had to make sure it went well at any cost. This investigation could wait.

"Alright we'll head down. Wrex, be good."

"Sure, sure, just remember why we're here." Growled the old Krogan. "And don't take too long, these Salarians are looking more and more appetising."

"Don't get fat old man!" Garrus called over as he strolled up beside Shepard. "Let's go get this over with, the whole thing has me on edge."

"Given our location combat is unlikely." Edi remarked blankly.

"That's usually when it all goes to hell."

"Keep your eyes open just in case." Shepard concurred. "I made sure we were armed for a reason, we don't know if the Reapers have indoctrinated anyone in the Salarian government."

"It is possible." Edi accepted. "It is likely they have recovered Reaper artifacts for study."

"Look how well that went for Cerberus." Garrus shuddered a little.

"Indeed." Edi replied. "Workplace safety was never a Cerberus priority."

They stepped into a large lift and headed deeper into the facility emerging into a dimly lit large room a few floors down. It was busy with Salarians dashing around in their usual state of hurried slightly frantic activity and contained many different displays and consoles scrolling through data Shepard didn't pretend to understand.

Most notable though was the far wall of the room which was set with a half dozen glass fronted cells. They all seemed empty at the moment though their place in this more secure room suggested they had once held the high value individuals the team had arrived to collect.

"Shepard!" A familiar voice called to him from across the dull room. "Excellent timing!"

"Mordin?" Shepard lightened a little, it was a surprise to see his former team mate here but a refreshingly welcome one.

"Eyesight still sharp, surprise understandable, hadn't expected to return to work." The Salarian rattled off with his standard speedy efficiency eliminating any words not required to convey his meaning.

"They brought you in because of the Krogan Females?" Garrus asked from beside Shepard.

"Of course, they had to bring me in. Someone else might have got it wrong."

He lowered his voice.

"Helped females, sent information to Wrex, encouraged political pressure to free females."

"That suddenly makes a lot of sense."

"We must hurry, unusual activity, security warnings not normal."

"Warnings?" Shepard became still.

"Perimeter sensors detected something, unlikely to be coincidence. Must leave soon."

"Understood."

"Will need to make arrangements, couple of minutes, wait nearby please."

Mordin went off to work leaving the group to split up and meander a little with Garrus and Edi investigating the room while trying not to look too obvious about it as Bless and Hayes chatted in a corner about the different types of aliens.

"Fascinating place."

Varhana's silky voice tickled Shepard's ear, her arrival seemingly from nowhere.

"A prison, a laboratory, a place for experimentation on living beings. Sentient or otherwise." She observed quietly. "All for the benefit of scientist Salarians, as the song goes."

"Song?" It took a moment for Shepard to remember the simple ditty Mordin had sung once or twice on the Normandy back during their battles against the Collectors. "How did you know about...?"

"Not from your mind Commander, Mordin has it running through his head, projecting it loudly in his thoughts. It's like shouting in a quiet room, I can't help but hear it."

"I'll make a note of that."

"It seems he is working hard to get the Krogans out of this place, I respect him for that." She walked around Shepard peering at consoles and the staff manning them. "These places are uncomfortable, many of my brothers and sisters found themselves experimented on in locations like this. Not many left."

"I don't condone any of this."

"Of course not, you are a decent person Commander. You do well to keep a calm composure but you must be imagining what goes on here. These Salarians look frail, mildly comical with their manner and vocabulary. Yet how many people have died in this building on an operating table? Kidnapped and imprisoned? They look so busy but how many stop to understand what they are really doing here?"

Shepard could see her point.

"It's how Salarians are, they prioritise science as their best weapon."

"A weapon which is exactly as bloody as the ones any other soldier carries. This place is sanitised but it isn't clean, you saw the Yahg elsewhere in this facility, they are aggressive but still sentient. Here they are kidnapped from their world, imprisoned, stripped naked and experimented upon. Not all can be as lucky as, who was it Liara said? Shadow Broker?"

"Long story, but yes, it's not right."

"I can hear their anger and despair, their resignation and grief. It isn't just Krogan and Yahg here Commander, who else do you think is in this facility, just dumb animals? There are humans here, Turians, others I can't identify."

She shrugged.

"I am sure they have had centuries to justify it to themselves, but it is good at least one of them seems to be understanding the true situation."

"So you say some of your people were experimented on?"

"We were unique in our telepathic ability, or at least mostly unique."

"I'm guessing it was mostly Gamilans doing it?"

"You guess well."

"I can understand how it would add to the bad blood between your people."

She smiled.

"This is your tactful way of asking if I'm going to be able to control myself around Gamilans? I saw her chatting to you, probably telling you how terrible we all were and how we deserved our planet eliminating?"

"Not exactly, but she had concerns."

"She's afraid of me isn't she?" Varhana grinned happily. "Good."

She leaned against the nearest bank of consoles ignoring the nearby Salarians projecting a relaxed aura around herself.

"I'll be frank then Commander so you have no questions. I would love to see every Gamilan dead, they massacred my planet, my brother and sister, my parents, everyone I knew. They did so indiscriminately for poor reasons and I am angry on a scale few alive will ever understand. You do Shepard because it's happening to you, Major Hayes knows as does his fleet for the same reason. I carry the battle scars of the war in my heart and on my body and they will not fade. But I am loyal Commander and I have my duty. Regent Ida ordered me not to kill, so I will not. Nor will I embarrass you by causing disruption and hindering your mission."

"I appreciate that Varhana, we can probably..."

He was interrupted by a deep rumbling explosion that shook the room and loosened dust to fall from the ceiling.

"Now that can't be a good sign."

"Shepard! This way!" Mordin frantically waved over. "Situation becoming problematic."

"What was that explosion?"

"Unidentified vessels have breached our perimeter."

"Your perimeter?" Garrus found them. "Isn't this your homeworld?"

"Indeed, implications unfortunate. Recriminations later, survival now."

He quickly walked down to the last of the cells, contained within the hulking form of a Krogan wrapped in heavy clothing.

"This is the last one, the others did not survive. Weakened immune system, tried to help. Failed." Mordin lowered his head in genuine remorse. "Failed."

"Then everything rests on getting this one to safety." Shepard focused, stepping up to the cell, feeling the Krogan eyes warily but confidently taking his measure. "I'm Commander John Shepard, Alliance Navy."

"Are you here to kill me?" The female asked matter of factly as if it were a question she asked often. Perhaps it was.

"Urdnot Wrex and I came to take you home. You are the future of the Krogan race, that's something I'll fight for."

He noted Varhana beside him, face taut and brow furrowed.

"You can't imagine what she has endured." She said simply. "Take her home. Get her away from this place and shed no tears when it is burned to the ground."

There were more rumbling explosions and alarms, the Salarians escalating to a new level of frantic.

"Time we were somewhere else Shepard." Garrus suggested. "Somewhere less like a fish in a barrel."

"Agreed." He turned to the nearest Salarian technician. "Release the Krogan, we're going."

"We're in lockdown, protocol states no movement during..."

"You are wrong." Varhana said simply. "There is no such protocol."

He paused for a second before nodding.

"You're right."

"You have authorisation on your screen, read it."

"It's confirmed." The technician looked at a totally blank screen. "The Commander has signed the release, disengaging locks."

"Thank you." She turned and smiled to Shepard. "Call that earning my pay, little bit of suggestion."

"Very helpful." Mordin leaned in. "No weapons, no hints of violence, no threatening action. Pheromones? No, too imprecise, no noted effects elsewhere. Injection of serum? No, too much distance, too fast acting. Telepathy. Remarkable"

"We can talk later, for now..." Shepard indicated toward the Krogan.

"Yes, I'll go with the pod." Mordin strolled over and activated the self contained cell bringing it into a rail system. "Will clear it through quarantine, see you at the checkpoint upstairs. Resistance highly probable."

"We'll take care of it." Shepard assured.

"See you up there."

Mordin began his journey, Shepard breaking off to head back for the lift.

"So is it violence again?" Hayes armed his rifle. "It is violence isn't it?"

"Looks like, we need to get the Krogan back up to the shuttle deck." Shepard informed. "Someone is trying to stop us, whoever it is make sure they don't."

"More of those robot zombie things?"

"I don't know, I don't think so." Shepard shook his head. "Might be a real fight this time."

"Sounds fair."

The lift arrived with a hiss, the doors opening to reveal a suspiciously bomb shaped device in the centre.

"Great..."

The group dived for cover as the device detonated in a sharp crack, the bomb destroying the lift and a couple of slow to act Salarians nearby.

Shepard picked himself up, exhaling acrid smoke and the metallic taste of explosives while checking for injuries.

"Is there another way out of here?" Shepard yelled to anyone who could answer.

"Emergency exit, that side!" One of the Salarians pointed.

"We're moving!" He prepared his rifle, the others doing the same. The fight was on now and Shepard settled down to business. Varhana followed behind, unarmed and wearing just her flowing white dress with a continued look of calmness and wry amusement. What she found so amusing Shepard decided not to ask.

They took a set of ladders out of the secure room and back into the daylight arriving at one of the lower terraces of the research base, their destination another two or three floors above.

"Shepard, this is Wrex!" The angry voice called in on the comms channel. "We've got Cerberus soldiers everywhere! I took the shuttle, where's the female?"

"On our way up, get ready to pick us up when we arrive."

"Alright, but don't take too long! And Shepard, that female..."

"I know Wrex, we've got it covered, just be ready to get us out of here."

"See you up top Shepard, all of you."

"Cerberus huh?" Garrus exhaled. "Those guys know how to wreck a party."

"Cerberus are human soldiers yes?" Bless asked. "Armed and trained to military standards?"

"Yes, don't underestimate them, they're real soldiers."

"They're human, yet they are opposing you?" Varhana enquired. "They are fighting against you when your mission is to prevent genocide?"

"Cerberus has a different view of the Reapers, they want to control them." Shepard stated. "They're probably indoctrinated or if not delusional."

"They are traitors spending their strength on killing their own and weakening your race's ability to resist extermination. Unforgivable."

She clenched her fists in a momentary flash of anger, then exhaled forcing her passions to fade under ice.

"I'll remain out of your way, I am unarmed and under orders not to get involved in combat. Don't worry about me, just kill them all."

That was enough of a plan for Shepard. He led them across the terrace to where Mordin was waiting with the sealed pod containing the Krogan hooked into the cargo lift. Already Cerberus was trying to intervene with several white armoured soldiers advancing on the pod, their goal clearly the Krogan herself.

"Move up, weapons free!" Shepard ordered. "Clear the room but watch your fire!"

This was Shepard's stock and trade, his specialty. Small unit combat was where his skill, decisive leadership and physical ability all combined to make him virtually unchallenged. Garrus was also in his element and instinctively found the best spot to offer some marksman support immediately taking down two Cerberus troopers before they recognised the danger. Edi was also moving well using her new robot body to dodge swiftly and fluidly between cover taking snap shots on the way

Bless and Hayes also found his approval, the two Commandos displaying a natural skill and well practiced understanding of how to take advantage of position and terrain. Both opened up with their signature weapons setting up a crossfire with Shepard and Edi without needing any direct orders. Just like with Shepard's team it was second nature, the mark of a professional.

The exchange of gunfire was brief but intense, the team isolating and cutting down the Cerberus troopers in rapid succession. The enemy resisted but there wasn't much they could do about it.

"Clear, Edi, unlock Mordin through to the next floor!"

"On it!"

"That was exciting." Varhana stepped over the bodies taking a moment to examine their equipment. She nudged one of their rifles with her toe, considered picking it up, and then walked away from it with a tinge of regret. "At least eight more upstairs, they have orders to call in reinforcements as necessary and will do so. They aren't heroes."

"You can sense that?" Shepard asked.

"I can pinpoint individual minds nearby, they know you are here but don't seem afraid. Their minds are oddly calm and collected for people in combat."

"Cerberus troopers have been implanted with some aspects of Reaper tech." Edi informed. "It likely removes flaws such as fear, mercy and independent thoughts."

"Those are flaws?"

"They are for Cerberus."

Mordin began his journey to the next checkpoint above them followed by the rest of the team. At the rear of this floor were cells filled with Yahg, the heavily muscled predators watching their actions keenly, one eying up Garrus like it he was a main course..

"Spirits those guys are unnerving."

"Wait until they develop spaceflight." Shepard quipped. "I bet that's exactly what the Salarians are doing, they learned nothing from the Krogan."

They opened the door out of the terrace and found themselves face to face with an escaped Yahg, the massive creature glaring at them with a maw full of razor sharp teeth and a dead Cerberus soldier in it's clawed hands.

"Cover!" Shepard yelled instantly. "Concentrate fire on..."

"Wait!"

Varhana stepped out in front of the team ahead of the Yahg with a hand raised at her side.

"Get clear! Those things are the deadliest...!"

"Wait!" She repeated firmly. "It isn't his choice to be here."

She walked closer, the creature roared but didn't attack.

"I see what they did to you, took you from your home, experiments, constant experiments. You wonder what has happened in your absence, are you remembered, has your place in society fallen, will you ever return to challenge those who replaced you?" She spoke softly, gently, keeping clear eye contact at all times as Shepard kept his rifle trained. "No, you won't, you will die here."

It became agitated, visibly furious, flexing its arms and breathing heavier.

"You will die here, but don't die alone. Kill. Kill those who tore you from your home and clan, kill the Cerberus soldiers, invoke chaos and when you die make sure you die with their flesh in your teeth."

The Yahg bellowed.

"We are your friends, leave us, slaughter the rest. Go. Release your rage on your enemies."

She stepped back as the Yahg charged away, pounding across the deck looking for victims to sate it's rage, the Jirel looking rather pleased with her work.

"What the hell did you just do?" Garrus asked in disbelief. "You turned it loose?"

"I gave it instructions to stalk the area near the ladders we used, it will secure the rear flank, we don't have to worry about anyone attacking us from behind for the near future." She informed. "Anyone trying to follow us is going to be meaty chunks."

"Including Salarians." Bless snarled. "Our allies."

"Are they our allies Shepard?" She asked. "They don't seem very supportive so far. Besides the creature's hate was focused on them, I had to use them to harness it and make it do as we needed. Fortunately I managed to direct its anger at Cerberus too, it won't differentiate."

"And when they eventually gun it down?"

"You think the Salarians would send him home after all this?" She scoffed. "He's dead either way, but this way his death has a benefit to us. We should move on, best not waste its efforts."

There was nothing else to do, Shepard nodded and advanced but this was giving him a bad feeling, casually using a living being to spend it's life for their benefit? It was going too far, but right now he had to finish the mission. The Krogan had to survive above all else.

They pushed on, advancing up to the next floor sweeping as they went, checking corners and shadows for possible ambush. Cerberus was already ahead of them filling their path with troopers and doing all they could to prevent Shepard's team from supporting Mordin and the female Krogan.

"Contact front!" He called.

In a moment the scene echoed with gunfire, red and blue tracers whipping past as both sides found cover and began to carefully and systematically work themselves into the best firing positions.

"Keep them busy, keep them clear of Mordin!" Shepard ordered putting a short burst into the helmet of a trooper who lingered above cover just a fraction too long.

They maintained their pressure, leaning out to fire in turn, cutting down any Cerberus trooper who made a dash forward. In turn though the Cerberus forces maintained their own steady defence forcing Shepard to whittle their numbers down first.

He winced slightly as several rounds pinged off the metal pillar he was stood behind, Cerberus apparently focusing on him for a moment. He considered throwing a grenade to break the stalemate but decided against it, they were too close to Mordin and didn't want to risk hurting the Krogan with shrapnel. It was going to be the hard way.

Amid the bullets whistling and plinking was Varhana, the Jirel witch strolling casually out in full view of the enemy to examine some of the Salarian consoles and data pads. She stood to the side with no armour or barriers dressed only in her old fashioned looking flowing white dress and yet managed to remain completely unharmed by the intense exchange of fire.

"I wish I could read Salarian." She remarked. "Some of this stuff must be valuable, think we should take a few of these data pads? Can we download them?"

"What are you doing?" Hayes snapped. "Get down!"

"It's fine, they won't shoot me."

"Of course they'll shoot you, they're bastards! They shoot everyone!"

She offered a light chuckle then waved at the Cerberus troopers.

"Over here! I'm completely defenceless! If you don't shoot me fast I'll start criticising your parent's life choices!"

She shrugged and turned back to the consoles with a fixed smile.

"They can't see me. Well they can but I'm manipulating their conscious so they don't acknowledge me as existing. To them where I am standing is just thin air."

She continued working the consoles and picked up a few data pads.

"I'll just grab a few, could be useful leverage."

Bless leaned out and caught a trooper out of position, spraying energy fire into his torso until he collapsed with a grunt.

"If you can affect their minds why don't you make them ignore us too?"

"Because Blue girl I have orders from the Regent not to get involved in a battle. I can defend myself, but you're on your own." The Jirel grinned, passing bullets ruffling her hair but offering nothing that shook her confidence. "It is quite difficult, it isn't just being invisible I also have to make sure they don't randomly spray bullets this way by accident or start throwing around explosives or rockets. There's a lot of subtle manipulation involved, takes concentration, much easier just to kill them of course but I have my orders. Still, you're doing fine. Keep it up."

They did at that point make a breakthrough, Garrus hit their commanding Centurion creating a brief break in their command and control. It was all Shepard needed to push his team forward and seize the Cerberus positions.

The team attacked, Shepard leaping over a low console and crashing into a Cerberus engineer, stunning the man and quickly finishing the contest with a burst of rifle fire. His team also moved aggressively delivering a torrent of firepower as they cleared the terrace.

"Left side clear!"

"Ride side clear!"

"Krogan pod secure!" Shepard confirmed. "Okay Mordin, last stop."

"See you up there Shepard." The scientist nodded and began the last stage of the journey taking the cargo lift up to the top terrace.

"Garrus, with me, everyone else standby."

The two friends moved forward and checked round the corner looking for blindspots. They made it to the next set of ladders without incident.

"This is it."

"Yeah." Garrus glanced over to Shepard. "While we're here scouting, suspiciously alone, can I mention something?"

"I'm flattered but you're not my type."

"Funny, very funny." The Turian drawled. "It's about our friend, the Jirel. You heard what she said a minute ago?"

"How she can manipulate people's brains so they can't tell what's real?" Shepard asked. "Right after she sent that Yahg to it's death for us?"

"Yeah, that." Garrus looked over his shoulder. "How well can we trust her?"

"You mean could she do the same to us? I don't think she would, wouldn't serve any purpose."

"But still..."

"Her skill only works on living people, not machines." Shepard reminded. "Like Edi."

"Which is why you brought her along." Realisation dawned on Garrus, the ex-cop approving. "Clever, this is not just testing her new robot body, she's insurance."

"Edi knows us better than we know ourselves, if we start acting weird she'll recognise it and act. She's immune herself and can neutralise Varhana if she has to, she's our plan B. Even so, I don't think we'll need her. The Jirel know what we're fighting for, I believe her reasons for being here. She wants to help."

"She could have picked up a gun."

"She has her orders." Shepard shrugged. "Can't help that. Anyway let's get this finished. Bring the team up."

The terrace above was the same one they and arrived on, a shuttle landing spot lay at the far side along with the cargo handling space necessary for offloading the female Krogan so they could finally escape this place together. Unsurprisingly Cerberus had a strong presence there ready and waiting to welcome them.

"Nine waiting around the corner, four more on the shuttle pad." Varhana informed. "Just a little information, I'm still not involved."

"Good to know." Shepard nodded. "Keep safe."

"No problems there."

"Last push people." Shepard checked his ammo. "Wrex, do you copy?"

"Still busy!" The warlord yelled back. "Where are you? Are we nearly done?"

"Just clearing the last checkpoint, be ready for pick up."

"I'll be there!"

He gestured his other four team mates to follow him.

"Don't let them get settled, push them back and keep them back. With me."

They made their move, Garrus opening the event with a trio of expertly placed shots. Shepard slammed into the nearest trooper and dispatched him with a knife, rolling into cover as a fusilade greeted them, angry voices calling out from the enemy side.

Garrus and Edi found a spot of relative high ground which the Turian used to snipe from while Edi kept him covered. Bless and Hayes advanced beside Shepard toward Mordin, the Cerberus troops focusing most of their attention on the Alliance Commander.

"More Cerberus! Coming up behind us!" Edi warned quickly, shifting position to meet them.

"Reinforcements up front too!" Hayes echoed. "They're bringing in more troops by shuttle!"

It was logical, the Krogan female had to be their main objective so they would be expected to throw everything they had into finishing the job at this last hurdle, it was going to get nasty.

"Garrus, Edi, cover the rear. We'll make for the Krogan!"

They advanced but the weight of fire was increasing rapidly and their position was not favourable. Shepard was able to bring down another trooper while Hayes did the same beside him, but it didn't do much to help their odds.

"Trouble above." Varhana announced casually as she perched herself on a console, still unconcerned with the buzzing gunfire. "Some sort of mech suit."

She was right, with a heavy thud the Cerberus troops were joined by an Atlas mech in enemy colours piloted by a Cerberus trooper. The well protected vehicle surveyed the scene for a moment, then raised an intimidatingly large cannon and pointed it toward Shepards team.

"Great."

He ducked as it slammed a couple of high calibre rounds into the console he was hiding behind, the Commander thanking the Salarian builders for not using weaker materials. Hayes and Bless fired on the Mech but to little use, it's heavy armour resisting their energy weapons. To make matters worse the Cerberus troopers took advantage of their new support to counter attack, inching closer to Shepard's position.

"We take the infantry first." Shepard rapidly assembled a plan. "That mech is slow, mark it's position and keep something between you and it. Edi, any smoke grenades?"

"Affirmative."

"Pop some near the mech on my word, screen us and keep its attention."

"Understood Shepard."

"Garrus, support fire. Hayes, cover Garrus. Bless, we're going to spray and pray, full auto."

"Ready."

"Edi, pop smoke."

The AI did as asked expertly landing a smoke grenade beside the mech which began to obscure its view. She followed up with steady fire on it, the tink of bullets on its barriers serving to distract the pilot as smoke hid his view and disrupted sensors. As she did that Garrus began to engage, leaning over cover to fire on the troops attacking Shepard. Hayes used the opportunity to shift position and take over defence of the rear flank expertly shooting down a pair of troopers lining up on the Turian. The team did their part, now it was Shepard and Bless.

"Let 'em have it!"

It wasn't a time for carefully controlled bursts, the enemy was many and advancing together overconfident thanks to the mech supporting them. With the Atlas temporarily neutralised the troopers were suddenly out of position with no cover and no back up. This was Shepard's chance and he took it.

The aim was not to outright kill all his opponents but to scatter them, leave them isolated and vulnerable to follow up attacks from Garrus. Any he did take out would be a bonus but more than anything he needed to take the initiative and put Cerberus on the defensive. This sudden aggression took them by surprise, the troopers taking precious seconds to react during which time they took the full force of Shepard and Bless' weapons.

It worked, but the Cerberus troops were better than expected and reacted faster, their cybernetics giving them a slight edge. Five fell to the combined firepower of the two commandos but the rest dropped and returned fire, knocking down Shepard's barriers and rattling his armour. He at once fell into cover to recharge, checking for Bless beside him.

She wasn't there, she hadn't been as fast as Shepard and her battle gear was not as tough. She had taken several rounds, the last two penetrating her armour and flinging her back with two wounds to the chest and abdomen. She fell hard to the deck with a hiss of breath splashing deep blue blood around her, still managing to fire off a one handed wildly inaccurate volley from her carbine to keep Cerberus back.

"Bless, stay down!" Shepard yelled and darted forward, a storm of fire immediately intercepting him and forcing him to dive back into cover. "Dammit! Hayes, can you reach her?"

"Negative! Fire is too heavy!"

"Commander, smoke screen is clearing." Edi warned. "Be advised the mech is returning to the fight."

The machine advanced, the surviving Cerberus troopers regrouping and preparing a second attack, this one more cautious and with the full support of the mech.

"Stay there Bless, we'll get you!"

"Forget it, finish the mission!" She yelled back angrily. "They're using me as bait to lure you out. Stay on the Krogan!"

"She is likely correct." Edi added. "Cerberus has employed similar tactics to prey on the comradeship of it's enemies."

"And when they see it isn't working they'll shoot her where she lays." Garrus snarled. "Any more smoke?"

"Negative."

"We're not leaving her for Cerberus target practice." Shepard turned to look backwards as the incoming fire intensified, the white robed Jirel just sat eating a piece of fruit amid the carnage. "Varhana, I need your help."

"I'd like to, but I can't get involved due to orders." She returned between mouthfuls of fruit. "Besides, I like watching the Gamilan butcher bleed."

"She's part of my team, she risked her life for my mission and for my world. Whatever you think I need you to help her."

"Make it quick!" Garrus fired a few more rounds. "Cerberus are closing!"

"I have my orders." Varhana shrugged, then tilted her head. "Although..."

"Whatever it is just do it! Fast!"

"Make me an Alliance citizen." She demanded.

"What?"

"Ida is my Regent, but if I was Alliance she wouldn't be, her orders wouldn't matter." The Jirel explained. "Then as a citizen you could give me a field commission. At that point you can just order me to save the Gamilan murderer. Not that you should, but your choice."

"Alright, welcome to the Alliance Navy, now drag Bless into cover!"

She dropped down from the console with a huge smile, tossed away the fruit and saluted. "Yes sir."

She simply strolled out seemingly immune to fire and peered down on the Gamilan.

"You're lucky the Commander is a good man."

She grabbed the wounded soldier and dragged her back towards Hayes pulling her into cover. At once the EDF soldier applied first aid and began to seal the bullet wounds. Bless gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out in front of her enemies, Cerberus or Jirel.

"Done." Varhana wiped her hands on her dress, the immaculate white becoming stained with dark blue blood. "Now then, this has all gone on long enough."

Varhana strolled past Shepard and across the middle of the terrace, white gown flowing behind her. She closed her eyes briefly as a breeze caught her, enjoying the cool air dispersing if only briefly the tropical humidity. She paid no heed to the Cerberus troopers or flying bullets, walking between them as if they were mere decorations, the soldiers themselves completely unaware of her existence. Her target was the mech, the large machine firing a high calibre round past her as she approached tugging her fine dress and demolishing part of the cover Shepard was hiding behind.

The Witch paused in front of it and examined the pilot. He had implants, cybernetics based on Reaper tech to improve his combat performance which could have been an issue for her but fortunately his higher brain functions were still organic.

She took control, changed his perceptions, altered his view of friend and foe. She made him absolutely certain, unshakably so, that Shepard and his people were his squadmates from years of service and his Cerberus brethren their hated enemy. For Varhana it was a simple task, a single mind and a few tweaks, this was her calling after all.

"What are you waiting for?" She whispered in the pilot's mind, stepping aside to allow a clear field of fire. "Kill your enemy."

He did exactly that and turned the formidable weapons of the mech on his comrades blasting them in the back. The high calibre rounds turned the nearest Cerberus soldiers into a bloody torn mess, the remainder caught in an impossible position by the new assault. They tried to shoot back but with nowhere to hide the mech picked them off, Garrus helping dispose of the last two.

"Done." Varhana nodded to the team before addressing the mech pilot. "Get out."

"Check the area, are we secure?"

"Clear up here." Garrus confirmed.

"Here too Shepard." Mordin spoke from the Krogan pod controls. "I will finish cargo transfer."

"Hayes, how is she?" He checked in on Bless.

"Stabilised but we should get her to a real doctor."

"On it." Shepard tapped his communications controls. "Wrex, get down here, we need to go right now."

He checked around again, Cerberus wouldn't leave them alone if they still had troops and could attack again at any moment. His eyes rested on Varhana, the pale female standing before the Cerberus mech pilot now dismounted from his vehicle.

"Varhana?"

"I'm interrogating him." She answered. "A little time please."

The trooper was entirely docile, simply standing before the Jirel as she investigated his mind.

"Remove your helmet." She ordered.

He did so, much of his face traced by Reaper implants, his eyes replaced with illuminated sensor orbs.

"You sold your soul for lies. Gave away your humanity." She exhaled. "I pity you, none of you have a future."

She stepped back, the Cerberus soldier bending down and reaching for the floor to pick up a shard of smashed glass from the battle. With a single move he jammed it into his own neck and cut it across his throat in a brief fountain of blood that splashed Varhana's ashen face and white dress.

He dropped to his knees gurgling before toppling over backwards and bleeding out.

"No future for traitors." Varhana smiled down at the dying trooper, then noticed Shepard beside her.

"He didn't know anything, unimportant lackey."

"I want to make something very clear from now on." He spoke quietly but with an iron edge to his words. "You are in my command now, you will not execute prisoners, you will not harm innocents, you will obey every order I give. Are we going to have a problem with this?"

"This man is already dead." She answered flatly. "Can you remove his implants? Recondition his brain? Undo the indoctrination? Even Ida couldn't do that, this Reaper Indoctrination is like nothing I've seen. There was no way to save him and that is Reaper tech in his head. Put him in prison and a month from now everyone is a little indoctrinated Reaper puppet."

Shepard paused for a moment, she did have a point.

"You know how indoctrination works Commander, just one small piece..."

"Understood, but there are ways and means Varhana, getting a man to cut his own throat is not how we do things. Do we have an understanding?"

"We do. I'll make it quicker next time."

"No, next time you will..."

He was cut off by the shuttle arriving, Wrex dropping it down heavily on the pad and leaping out from the doors shotgun in hand.

"Did I miss it? What did I miss?"

"We'll talk more later." Shepard said firmly to the Jirel who gave him a sideways smile.

"Of course Commander, I'll familiarise myself with Alliance regulations in the meantime."

He put aside his rifle still feeling distinctly uneasy and joined Wrex heading toward the source of all the trouble. The pod containing the female Krogan had made it finally to the offloading point, Mordin had already opened it and made the system safe. The lanky Salarian offered his hand to help her down only to be unceremoniously shoved aside by Wrex with a grunt.

"Come on, let's get you down."

Wrex offered his hand instead, something the female Krogan neither needed nor wanted. She stepped down herself, strong and steady despite her harsh trials. Before she had taken two steps the inevitable happened, a pair of Cerberus troopers dropped down from an upper terrace and made straight for the female, weapons rising for a quick shot.

With no hesitation she snatched Wrex's shotgun before he himself could use it and blasted both troopers, her aim precise and unerring.

"I can handle myself Wrex." She said frankly shoving the gun back in his arms.

"Huh." the old warrior growled. "Women."

"Let's get out of here before more Cerberus show up." Garrus suggested.

"I can take care of that." Varhana offered. "Commander?"

"What do you mean?"

"There are still thirty two enemy troopers above us organising to head down. We can leave but the Salarian response is delayed, they will kill the remaining base personnel."

"What will you do?"

"Kill them." She said plainly. "They are the enemy, they cannot be redeemed, they will kill our Salarian... allies, I suppose you'd call them. I don't mind personally, this place is abhorrent, but you might want to save them."

He didn't answer at once. She was right, Cerberus was the enemy and the Salarians would be wiped out if they had no back up close by. Yet he hesitated, the warning from Bless still in his mind and not getting quieter after watching Varhana casually making a man slit his own throat.

"It will be quick Commander, they won't suffer." She reassured. "I understand your position, your rules of war. This will be within them."

"Alright, do it."

"It'll just take a minute."

She strolled away from the shuttle back on to the terrace, searching with her mind, finding each enemy. They were few so it wasn't hard, and in this case she only had to give a simple order. Far less effort than Ida and her intricate illusions.

"Step this way." She whispered. "Come and join us."

"Hey Shepard." Wrex watched. "What's happening?"

"Not sure yet."

There was a thud on the terrace, a body in white armour slid down from above and off the edge to fall into the jungle below. Then another fell, and another. Soon there was a steady rain of Cerberus troopers stepping off the higher levels and plummeting down the few hundred metres into the jungle below. Some bounced with a thud off the edge of the terrace striking it on the way down but uttering no word or exclamation.

"As I said Commander, quick."

She stood on the terrace smiling at Shepard, her white dress drenched red with blood, speckles of it on her face and hair from the dead trooper. The sun shone orange on her like fire, like a dying furnace as immediately behind her Cerberus soldiers threw themselves to their deaths enmasse like lemmings at her command. In the instant he saw her standing like something from a children's horror story a pair of Cerberus gunships flew into each other behind her, a deliberate collision that obliterated both in a ball of flame and black smoke silhouetting the grim rain of bodies and the slim figure commanding it in blackness with bright violet eyes hooked into him like harpoons.

"Spirits..." Garrus whispered.

"Glad she's on our side." Wrex said simply, then shrugged and got in the shuttle. "Come on, no one left here worth killing."

They began to board, Varhana joining them with her task completed.

"It is better this way." She said as she walked past Shepard. "Now you can see what I can do, how useful I am. I look forward to helping you win this war."

Shepard was the last on, still obviously uncomfortable. He shut the door and cleared Cortez to take off, the shuttle rising fast back toward the Normandy. Without a word he sat down, his face clouded as his mind ran through the possibilities and the consequences of these new events.

It took almost a minute before he noticed Bless watching him, her eyes intensely staring over an oxygen mask on her face. She didn't need to speak, Shepard knew exactly what she wanted to say.

"Monster."


End file.
